LEADERSHIP CHANGES AT PLENUM

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90M01364R000800360001-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 23, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 22, 2013
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: September 30, 1988
• Content Type: MISC

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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/04/23: CIA-RDP90M01364R000800360001-0
30 SEP 1988' i--41)07) 4,6.25X1
Confidential
r5 0 SEP 9988
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
DIRECTORATE OF INTELLIGENCE
30 September 1988
1300 EDT
SPOT COMMENTARY: Leadership Changes at Plenum
In the most sweeping overhaul of the top party leadership since
Khrushchev ousted the so-called "anti-party group" in 1957, General
Secretary Gorbachev has used today's Central Committee plenum to
undercut his opponents and improve the chances for successful
implementation of his foreign and domestic policies.
o Soviet media announced today that the plenum removed Gromyko
and Solomentsev as members of the Politburo. Gromyko will
retire tomorrow as Chairman of the Supreme Soviet Presidium.
Solomentsev was replaced as Chairman of the Party Control
Committee by Latvian party chief Boris Pugo. At the 19th
Party Conference in June, both Gromyko and Solomentsev came
under attack from delegates who accused them of hindering the
reform process that Gorbachev has undertaken.
o Vadim Medvedev, up till now a junior party secretary with
responsibility for overseeing relations with ruling communist
parties, vaulted over several more senior officials to become
a member of the Politburo. Medvedev has no clearcut ties to
other members of the leadership, but his public statements
have been reformist in tone, especially on foreign policy
issues.
o Two leftovers from the Brezhnev period--party secretary
Dolgikh and Supreme Soviet Vice Chairman Demichev--were
removed as candidate members of the Politburo. Three new
candidate members were named: Internal Affairs Minister
Vlasov and party secretaries Lukyanov and Biryukova, both of
whom relinquished their positions on the Secretariat. Vlasov
and Lukyanov appear to have strongly supported Gorbachev's
efforts to reform the criminal justice and law enforcement
system, and Biryukova has promoted the emphasis on consumer
Interests that Gorbachev favors.
o The plenum also removed former Ambassador to the United
States Anatoliy Dobrynin from the Secretariat. Some evidence
suggested that Dobrynin had ties to "second secretary"
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Ligachev and that he may have clashed with Politburo member
Aleksandr Yakovlev, one of Gorbachev's closest allies, over
foreign policy issues.
Gorbachev's success at today's Central Committee plenum was not
unqualified, however. "Second Secretary" Ligachev, who has become the
rallying point for party opposition to Gorbachev's more radical
reforms, remains in the Politburo, although his responsibilities
appear to be circumscribed. In the past, Ligachev has had broad
oversight responsibility for the critical ideology and cadres
portfolios. The plenum announced that in connection with a
reorganization of the party apparatus, several new commissions have
been created, and Ligachev was named chairman of the commission on
agriculture. Gorbachev allies were named to head the cadres
commission and the commission on ideology.
The greatest uncertainty centers on the future role of KGB Chairman
Chebrikov, one of Gorbachev's strongest critics. Chebrikov was named
to the party Secretariat and will presumably relinquish his KGB post
at the Supreme Soviet session tomorrow, to be replaced by either
Lukyanov or Vlasov. This move presumably gives Gorbachev more direct
control over the KGB and reduces the threat that the security forces
could be used against him. Nevertheless, as a senior secretary
Chebrikov remains in a politically influential position, and he may
even assume oversight responsibility for all "administrative oreans
including the KGB. militia. and Milif-arv
Cadres Secretary Razumovskiy, a Gorbachev protege who has been rumored
to be slated for promotion to the Politburo, remained a candidate
member. In addition lon time t - I ?? ? ?. -kiy,
retained
HIS position in the Politburo.
Despite these uncertainties, Gorbachev is in a significantly stronger
position than he was-before the plenum. He has strengthened his
influence over the critical areas of foreign policy, ideology, and
personnel appointments. By removing members of the old guard who
probably sided with Ligachev on controversial reform questions, adding
new allies to positions of power, and possibly narrowing Ligachev's
functions in the Secretariat, Gorbachev has enhanced his ability to
move forward with his controversial reform rogram, especially in the
area of political restructuring.
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II. AWL." I 1,46.
LEADERS
FULL POLITBURO
Gorbachev
Vorotnikov
Gromyko
Zaykov
Ligachev
NEW POSITIONS
Retired
Nikonov
Ryzhkov
Slyunkov
SolomentsAv
Chebrikov
Shevardnadze
Shcherbitskiy
Yakovlev
CANDIDATE POLITBURO MEMBERS
Demichev
Dolgikh
Maslyukov
Razumovskiy
Solovyev
Talyzin
Yazov
Via soy
SECRETARIES
Baklanov
Biryukova
Dobrynin
Lukyanov
Medvedev
Heads new Agrarian Commission, remains in
Politburo and Secretariat
?
Heads new Social/Economic Commission,
remains in Politburo and Secretariat
Retired
Remains on Politburo, appointed to
Secretariat, Heads new Legal Commission
Heads new International Policy Commitsiot.
remains in Politburo and ?Secretariat
Retired
Retired
Heads new Party Cadres Commission, remains
Candidate Politburo member, on Secretaria7
(MVD Chairman) added as Candidate
Politburo member
Added as Candidate Member Politburo,
removed from Secretariat
Retired
Added as Candidate Member Politburo,
removed from Secretariat
Full Member Politburo, remains on Secretariat,
heads new Ideology Commission
OTHER
Kapitonov
Pugo
(Chairman of CAC) Retired, no replacement
announced
(Latvian Party Chief) elected head
Party Control Committee, replacing
Solomentsev, but not added to Politburo
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/04/23: CIA-RDP90M01364R000800360001-0
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/04/23 : CIA-RDP90M01364R000800360001-0
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/04/23: CIA-RDP90M01364R000800360001-0