SOVIET UNION EASTERN EUROPE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79T00865A001200070001-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 12
• Document Creation Date: December 12, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 6, 2001
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: June 18, 1975
• Content Type: NOTES

Approved For Release 2001/08/08 : CIA-RDP79T00865A001200070001-Top Secret
No Foreign Discern
rrz\cT a
Soviet Union
Eastern Europe
P/L
Top Secret
Juiie( ` 8, 1975
SC No. 00448/75
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(~1 O
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Sensitive Intelligence Sources and Methods Involved
NATIONAL SECURITY INFORMATION
Unauthorized Disclosure Subject to Criminal Sanctions
Classified by 005827
Exempt from general declassification schedule
of E. 0. 11652, exemption category:
? 5B (1), (2), and (3)
Automatically declassified
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GAMMA ITEM
This publication is prepared for regional specialists in the Washington com-
munity by the :USSR - Eastern Europe Division, Office of Current Intel-
ligence, with occasional contributions from other offices within the
Directorate of Intelligence. Comments and queries are welcome. They should
be directed to the authors of the individual articles.
CONTENTS
June 18, 1975
Moscow Views Italian Election Results. . . . . . . 1
USSR Media on US Political Situation . . . . . . . 5
USSR - East Germany:
Economic Discussions . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Dolanc Says Centralists Now Primary
Threat to Yugoslav Stability . . . . . . . . . . 7
Albania: New Names Appear . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
PUBLICATIONS OF INTEREST . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
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Moscow Views Italian Election Results
The Soviets have thus far said little about
the Italian election results beyond reporting the
facts in their media. But in evaluating the pluses
and the minuses of the gains made by the Italian
Communists, Moscow is likely to see the balance
on the plus side of the ledger. The Soviets will
claim that the Italian party's gains are new
evidence of a world-wide leftward trend, and an
example of what is politically possible in Western
Europe under the umbrella of detente.
Moscow will also find the Italian results useful
in rebutting the argument of Western communist parties
that the behavior of the Portuguese party threatens
their own prospects. This will have the effect of
weakening one argument against more forthright Soviet
backing of the Portuguese Communists. The reaction
in Western Europe as a whole to the Italian Commu-
nist gains will, however, be far more :important in
the Soviet assessment about how far it can safely
go in supporting Cunhal. The Soviets will want to
do what they can to play the Italian results in such
a way as to diminish the possibility of a West European
backlash.
The election will pose other problems for the
Soviets in dealing with Western parties. One lesson
that the latter may draw is that they still have to
follow Berlinguer's open criticism of the Portuguese
in order to match his electoral performance. Further-
more, the election outcome could be interpreted as a
mandate for the Italian Communist Party's advocacy
of participation in the parliamentary process, in-
cluding participation in coalition governments--a
policy that has never elicited great enthusiasm in
Moscow. The Italian communists have been relatively
June 18, 1975
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independent of Moscow, and the election results
may encourage other parties to follow their ex-
ample. The Italians will also be in a stronger
position to argue their case for the independence
of the parties in the preparatory meetings now
under way for a European communist party conference.
(UNCLASSIFIED)
June 18, 1975
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USSR Media on US Political Situation
There continue to be signs in Soviet propaganda
lectures and less authoritative periodicals of skep-
ticism about the Ford administration's ability to
surmount an array of economic and political handicaps
by November 1976.
It is unlikely, however, that the Soviets who
know that they have been wrong about US politics be-
fore, have come to any firm conclusion that there
will be a new administration in 1977. Nor are they
likely, at this early juncture, to change policies on
the basis of their preliminary thinking about US
electoral politics.
The most recent discussion of the US political
scene appeared last weekend in the weekly newspaper
Za Rubezhom. Citing the opinions of US observers,
the editor-in-chief argues that the US political
system has been partially paralyzed by a variety of
economic and political troubles that have split the
White House and Congress. The Democrats, he says,
are gaining strength because of their backing for
Israel; the Republicans, virtually destroyed by Water-
gate, are incurring further losses as a result of
their support for the unpopular cause of Vietnam.
The journalist quotes from US editors to the
effect that the upshot of this situation will be a
new president in 1977, probably a Democrat. The
author shows no special enthusiasm for this prospect,
commenting that there is little hope the Democratic
Party will find the leadership the US so badly needs.
(CONFIDENTIAL)
June 18, 1975
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USSR - East Germany: Economic Discussions
Economic problems appear to have dominated the
meeting on Tuesday between East German party chief
Honecker and Soviet party chief Brezhnev.
Honecker probably sought assurances that Moscow
would help to ease the economic difficulties facing
the East Germans because of lagging exports and the
sharply increased cost of imported Soviet raw mate-
rials. Soviet press reports on the visit say the two
leaders emphasized the importance of coordinating the
five year plans now in preparation in both countries.
Soviet efforts to gain greater East European economic
integration during the 1976-80 planning period will
probably also be discussed at next week's CEMA meet-
ing in Budapest. The two leaders probably covered
plans for the congresses both parties will hold next
year. Favorable prospects for the European security
conference and the Vienna force reduction talks were
mentioned in the communique. There was no mention,
however, of the European communist meeting, which
will eventually be held in East Berlin. (UNCLASSIFIED)
June 18, 1975
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Dolanc Says Centralists Now Primary
Threat to Yugoslav Stability
Stane Dolanc, second to Tito in the party leader-
ship, on Monday warned a Belgrade meeting that "cen-
tralists"--proponents of imitating the Soviet model--
are now a more dangerous faction than the liberal re-
formers, who have been on the defensive since the
purges of 1972-73.
Dolanc told Belgrade's political leadership that
the liberals are under control and now present "no
real danger of any kind." On the other hand, he said
that the acute economic situation offers opportunities
to those who advocate a thoroughly centralized and
bureaucratic system. He reminded his audience that
Yugoslavia broke with this concept when Tito defied
Stalin in 1948, and he urged an intensified ideologi-
cal and political struggle against the remaining
strongholds of centralist sympathy.-
The Yugoslavs broadcast a slightly abridged ver-
sion of the Dolanc comments to Moscow. Belgrade radio
dropped Dolanc's reference to liberals posing no real
menace, but did include his warning that dogmatists
were the main threat. (CONFIDENTIAL)
June 18, 1975
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Albania: New Names Appear
The Albanian press on June 1 listed Liambi
Gegprifti as a new member of the Albanian Workers'
Party Politburo. His exact status--full member or
alternate--was not, however, indicated.
Gegprifti, who became deputy defense minister
last year after the ouster of former defense minis-
ter Balluku, may have been promoted to the Politburo
during a Central Committee plenum in late May. Pre-
mier Shehu who is already on the Politburo has taken
the Defense Ministry portfolio.
Several other personnel shifts have surfaced in
the Albania press. Deputy Premier Petro Dode now
also holds the post of chairman of the state planning
commission, replacing Abdyl Kellezi, who has probably
joined the ranks of the purged. Albanian media have
not mentioned Kellezi since January 28. Party jour-
nals have also identified Pali Miska as minister of
mines, filling the slot left vacant by the removal of
Koco Theodhosi.
Meantime, Ramiz Alia, the party's chief ideologue
and cultural expert, reappeared on June 16 at a Tirana
reception for the Cambodian foreign minister. Alia's
absence from public view for nearly three months had
sparked rumors that he too had been purged. (CONFI-
DENTIAL)
June 18, 1975
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PUBLICATIONS OF INTEREST
CPSU Politburo and Secretariat: Positions and
Responsibilities, A (CR) 75-20, UNCLASSIFIED.
This chart, w ich is suitable for desk or wall,
lists members of the CPSU Politburo and Sec-
retariat, their age, years of tenure, present
positions, and general policy responsibilities.
It supercedes A (CR) 74-35. Copies may be
obtained from
CPSU Central Committee: Executive and Admin-
istrative Apparatus, A (CR) 75-19, UNCLASSIFIED.
This wall chart includes members of the CPSU
Politburo and Secretariat and the heads of
Central Committee departments and schools. It
supercedes A (CR) 74-38. Copies may be obtained
from
June 18, 1975
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