PAPER ON COMMUNIST TACTICS AT INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78-02771R000300030004-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: November 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 6, 1998
• Sequence Number: 4
• Publication Date: October 3, 1956
• Content Type: MEMO

oved..For Release 2000/05/23 : 8-02 OII30Q0 OO4 !
ce emoran um ? UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT
25X1A9a
TO DATE: October 3, 1955
25X1 A8a central Intell igenee Agency
FROM .` 25X1A9a
SUBJECT: Paper on Communist Tactics at International Conferences
25X1A9a
At the request of is paper has been reviewed
within DRS and the reaction has not been too favorable. In general
it is felt that the paper is quite superficial and that it is geared
both in style and content to rEther low level audience. While it
might be of help to some groin ertii-ely unoriented to Communist
practices, the statements concerrine Communist tactics and policy
and the examples given are so commonplace that anyone who reads a
newspaper regularly should be quite femiliary with them--consequently
the paper would be of little use as a guide to persons engaged in
conferences.
In attempting to give illuctr.tions, the study is often mis-
leading in at certain t;rpe ; of behavior to the Russians
alone. Many of the Soviet maneuvers at conferences are really not
innovations but have long been practiced by Western European nations--
Harold Nicolsonts "Diplomacyb contains some excellent examples. Yet
this, paper tends to make them exclusive Soviet inventions and supposedly
therefore something to be frowned upon by other negotiating nations.
There is a need for a itudy on the subject of conference tactics,
especially for the many leseer conferences in which inexperienced and
lower-ranking US diplomatic exec' Bilttary personnel are engaged with
Soviet negotiators of far hither training and experience. Such a study
should encompass the difference in tactics used by the Soviet Union in
various conference situation f., The'- *ae
s -nsee, r -e--weakag-thin
the-leas- cu r--co ere:s -iii l-ons. They use quite different tactics
depending upon the issue invcxlved., their position of strength or weakness
within the particular conference, and the particular goal, whether
momentary or long-run they are attempting to achieve.
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1 " Such a study should aloo enco-spas a at-Ay of Soviet agreements,
C their proneness to repudia.tr.; tentative agreements made in previous
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ces when suc a steo t urns ant to be to their disadvantage.
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a e matter of joint press reeaees should be analyzed, together with
reement on a point in
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order to use the press releat;e as a propaganda instrument for public
4
AS proof of a later assertion that the western side had agreed to something
r w when in fact it had not. There is also the Soviet tactic of planting
provocative newspaper articlos T'rior to a session in order to force the
age^~xa ~
western aide to affirm or deny it, thereby revealing their intended
position. Another trap nee d ighlighting is the use of dangerously
Approved For Release 2000/05/23 : CIA-RDP78-02771 R000300030004-9
"ON 911 ~ffi
 Approved For Release 2000/05/23 : CI 78-02774R00&(I003D0 4
ambiguous Russians words which appear to be good translations of certain
English words but which actually leave to the Soviet side great freedom
of action in interpretation and impliimentation.
Of even greater use to US negotiators than a mere description]
of Soviet tactics would be a list of suggested tactics to counter
Soviet tactics.
25X1A9a
Approved For Release 2000/05/23 ; DP78-02771 R000300030004-9