APPROVED FOR RELEASE: 2009/06/16: CIA-RDP01-00707R000200070028-8
research scientists in governmental institutes and in higher educational institutions and Polish industry. Industry managers received bonuses for the number of units produced and are not interested in taking risks with new products or processes. Following World War II, the Polish scientific establishment was almost completely destroyed and had to be rebuilt.
Both chemistry and physics are active fields of research. Nuclear research is important but has been deemphasized in recent years. Medical sciences receive good support. Astronomy, which has in the past been an important area of scientific activity, has been assigned a relatively low priority by the present government. Mathematics, which has been one of Poland's strongest fields of research, has been hampered because of its low priority. The Poles have excelled in mathematical research fields that cover modern analysis, topology, logic, and applied mathematics.
The Polish Government recognizes the need for scientific cooperation with foreign countries and has entered into cultural-scientific agreements with both Communist and Western countries. Normally, close ties are maintained with other Communist countries, especially the U.S.S.R. and Czechoslovakia, through their respective academies of sciences, but in reality there is little scientific cooperation among the Eastern European Communist countries, due apparently to mutual mistrust and bureaucratic red tape. Much of the Polish scientific and technical programs is coordinated through the Council for Economic Mutual Assistance (CEMA) to avoid duplication of effort. The Polish-Soviet Commission for Scientific-Technological Cooperation was set up to encourage exchange of scientists and scientific information, but experience has indicated that the Poles can count on very little help from the Soviet Union. The Soviets appear to have little respect for the work of Polish scientists. Polish nuclear research scientists work with Soviet scientists at the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, at Dubna, U.S.S.R., but the Soviets do not allow the Polish scientists to work on high-priority projects. In fact, the U.S.S.R. has been reluctant to provide technical information which would make Poland more competitive with the Soviet Union. As a result of the lack of wholehearted cooperation, many young Polish scientists refuse to go to the U.S.S.R. for study or research.
Scientific relations between Poland and the United States have improved substantially during the last few years. Prof. Jan Kaczmarek, the Minister of Science, Higher Education, and Technology, has stated that he favors scientific ties with all countries, including the United States, but the president of the prestigious Polish Academy of Sciences, Prof. W. Trzebiatowski, has noted that the Soviets are displeased when Polish relations, even in scientific fields, are too close with the United States. Polish coordinating units for Polish-American scientific cooperation were established in the late 1950's and early 1960's to plan and administer research grants financed through the use of U.S. PL-480 funds. A number of cooperative scientific and technical programs are underway between the two countries. In 1972 there were more than 50 active collaborative programs in the health and agricultural fields alone. Many prominent Polish scientists have studied in the United States under exchange programs. Government officials, however, are wary of this practice, because the higher standard of living in the United States induces many scientists to stay. Generally, visits by Polish scientists to other countries are limited to 3 months.
Military research and development programs are conducted under the auspices of the Ministry of National Defense. Autonomous control of all scientific and technological activities is maintained by the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
Many foreign scientists visit Poland each year to take part in symposia, meetings, and other activities organized by PAN. It was estimated that in 1971, about 3,000 scientists from all over the world participated in about 340 such events. Polish scientists also attend meetings held abroad. Poland is a member of many international scientific organizations, including the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG), the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC), the Conference of Baltic Oceanographers, and the Conference on Coastal Engineering. Other international groups whose activities involve participation by Polish scientists include the International Union of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics (IUTAM), the International Scientific Radio Union, the International Society for Scientific Education, the International Academy of Astronautics, the International Academic Union, and the International Laboratory of Strong Magnetic Fields and Low Temperatures.
B. Organization, planning, and financing of research (S)
Scientific and technical activities in Poland are organized and completely controlled by the Communist Party and the government. Research and development are conducted by the institutes of the
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APPROVED FOR RELEASE: 2009/06/16: CIA-RDP01-00707R000200070028-8
