Poles set dates for letup; Solidarity leaders doubtful

Poland's military regime said Monday that all political prisoners would be released by Christmas and the major provisions of martial law would most likely be suspended Dec. 31.

In Brussels, high-ranking officials of Poland's outlawed Solidarity union expressed skepticism over the plan to suspend martial law, saying it looked more like an effort to win financial concessions from the West. And European Community foreign ministers meeting there to discuss trade issues reacted to Poland's news cautiously, saying that they wanted to see what it meant in practice and that they would await developments before reacting.