STAFF NOTES: WESTERN EUROPE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP86T00608R000400120014-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 11
• Document Creation Date: December 19, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 15, 2005
• Sequence Number: 14
• Publication Date: January 21, 1975
• Content Type: REPORT

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West German Opposition Leader Visits China . . 1-3
End Review , , _ 7-8
Spanish Prime Minister. Gives His Own Year
Peaceful Nuclear Explosion Questions
Dominate the Work of the IAEA . . , . . .12-13
January 21, 1975
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West German Opposition Leader Visits Chin,-,
Opposition leader Franz Josef Straus:;--West
Germany's foremost conservative spokesman--has
registered a major political coup with h.-.s success-
ful trip to China, upstaging Chancellor. Schmidt who
plans to visit Peking sometime this sp -.i rig.
Strauss received unp.rccedcnted x'r l mc~ni: in
view of the unofficial nature of his v. i .i i.L and hi.3
reputation as an arch conservative in !crman pol.itic:3.
Strauss journeyed outside Peking for a meeting with
Chairman Mao, had an hour-long visit with Premier.
Chou in a Peking hospital, and held talks with Vice-
Premier Teng Hsiao-ping, Foreign Minister Chiao Kuan-
hua, Deputy Army Chief of Staff Li Ta, and a deputy
foreign trade minister.
The closest recent parallel to Strauss' reception
was the treatment accorded former British Prime
Minister Heath in May 1974. Heath, however, was a
former head of government and the lr_ader of the
oppo^ition, and his trip had been e:eJ.anned while he
was still in office. Strauss has rot held a post
in a German government for more th;tn five years, but
his Christian Social. Union party in a smashing
victory in the Bavarian state ele:,t.ions last October.
He is regarded as a prime candida.ce for high office
should his party and the Christi_a:.i Democrats return
to power in next year's national elections.
China's warm reception plainly reflects the
fact that Strauss shares many of Peking's views on
European security and the USSR. During his stay,
Strauss expressed his well-known distrust of Soviet
strategic intentions toward Western Europe and his
skepticism about the durability of detente with
Moscow.
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Strauss also indicated that he shared Chinese
concern over the alleged naivete of some Europeans
regarding Moscow, and, like the Chinese, called for
a strong united Europe in close military alliance
with the US as a bulwark against the USSR. Accord-
ing to West German press reports, Strauss went so
far as to hint at overlapping Poking-Bonn interests
in restraining Soviet :.`.rategic ambitions.
Strauss and scme Christian Democrats have
argued for several years that both Brandt and
Schmidt governments have neglected Peking. In the
past, these arguments were put forward to dramatize
the inherent dangers in what they felt was a single-
minded pursuit of detente with Moscow by Brandt and
his chief policy advisor Egon Bahr.
This argument has lost much of its force because
Chancellor Schmidt has adopted a more cautious and
pragmatic policy toward the Soviets. By visiting
Peking, however, Strauss has enhanced his political
credentials and strengthened the impression in the
public mind that the opposition rather than the
government has been instrumental in trailblazing
relations with China.
Concord between Strauss and the Chinese leaders
is still of only limiced consequence. Strauss'
willingness to praise the Chinese openly for support-
ing German reunification is more public relations than
substance. Most opposition leaders, including Strauss,
are very wary of tampering with the existing division
of forces in Central Europe. In dramatizing the re-
unification theme and suggesting that China participate
in the European Security Con4erence, Strauss is more
interested in tweaking the nose of the Soviet leader-
ship.
Ironically, Chinese enthusiasm for Strauss and
his hard line views on the USSR may slightly set
back the development of state relations with the West
German government, which Peking values highly. Strauss'
reception in China has fed the rumor mill in Bonn,
generating talk that Chancellor Schmidt is irritated
at being upstaged by Strauss and that his own visit
to Peking may be postponed.
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Despite their obvious annoyance at the red carpet
treatment accorded Strauss, government officials main-
tain that Strauss'reception in Peking will have no
affect on the Chancellor's plans. Strauss' favorable
publicity however, makes it imperative that the
Chancellor's visit, if and when ii' occurs, appear
more impressive to the German public.
Some doubts in government circles may exist on
this score as evidenced in official statements that
internal political developments may require the
Chancellor. to arrange for a somewhat later visit
than orginall.y anticipated. Ostensibly, the reference
to domestic-politics pertains to the five state
elections that Schmidt's Social Democrats must face
within the next four months.
January 21, 1975
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Spanish Prime Minister Gives His Own Year-End Review
In an unusual practice for a Spanish prime
minister, Carlos Arias Navarro followed up Chief of
State Franco's broadcast review of 1974 as a troubled
year with his own assessment. In an interview last
week, Arias, like Franco, shifted the blame for Spain's
troubles to the international situation by citing an
absence of solidarity among nations and harmful influences
from abroad. But Arias went on to push his own political
goals.
The prime minister used the speech to encourage
support of the recently adopted statute legalizing
political associations which took effect on the day
the interview was published. He cited the statute as
a first step in what should be a long process of
political change. Arias said he hoped the statute
will permit wider participation of Spaniards in
political life, but stressed that "improvement of
structure" must occur with unity of purpose in the
nation. Rightists, of course, are adamantly opposed
to his liberalization program.
Arias gave fulsome tribute to Franco and to a
lesser extent to Prince Juan Carlos. He described
Franco's health as normal for one of 82 years and
said that the chief of state showed "extraordinary
mental lucidity" in cabinet meetings--remarks designed
to reassure Spaniards about Franco's health and show
that he is still exercising real leadership.
The prime minister gave a boost to Prince Juan.
Carlos as future chief of state by crediting him with
exceptional memory and intelligence comparable to
Franco's. Arias' favorable comments about both Franco
and his designated successor appear calculated to
combat rumors of any differences with them and to
soften any possible irritation on Franco's part for
Arias' presumption in giving his own year end review.
Arias also made unusual references to other
political figures. He said that Jose Antonio Giron,
a former labor minister and prominent ultra rightist
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leader, as well as Manuel Fraga Iribarne, the moderate
reformist former information minister, should be kept
in mind for a role in Spain's future. By this, Arias
may have been affirming his own neutrality be.wetn the
forces they represent as well as reminding them tc,
organize political associations in conformity with
the new statute. Fraga, now the Spanish ambassador
to London, is expected to visit Madrid this week,
amid reports that he is considering forming a political
association.
The prime minister also referred to the Catholic
lay organization Opus Dei strictly in terms of its
service to the church and as an organization which
should be outside politics. His remarks did not
mention the achievements of Opus Dei members in
previous governments and seemed calculated to dis-
courage its supporters from organizing political
associations.
On foreign policy, Arias said Europe was con-
fronted with a grave economic crisis, compounded by
the absence of solidarity, which could become
catastrophic if it were not ended very soon. For
Spaniards, Arias promised that the new year would not
be "optimum" but at least "normal."
January 21, 1975
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Peaceful Nuclear Explosion Questions Dominate
the Work of the IAEA
Continuing .i.ntorest in the subject of peace-
ful nuclear explosions (PNEs) has sparked a new
flurry of activity at the International Atomic
Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna. The recently con-
cluded UN General Assembly asked the Agency to
prepare a number of studies on the feasibility
and applications of such explosions; the Agency
will also participate this May in the Non-Prolifer-
ation-Treaty Review Conference, at which PNEs will
be an important issue. Partly in response to these
requirements, the Agency is now mobilizing its
resources in order to be able to assume the role
of the primary international broker for such work.
The September meeting of the Agency's Board
of Governors passed a resolution that authorized
the Director General to establish within the secre-
tariat a separate organizational unit responsible
for implementing PNE services. The resolution
also embodied the concept that the Agency's pro-
posals on PNEs constitute a set of procedures which
would adequately cover all aspects of the provision
of these services. The resolution did not specify,
however, a date for the establishment of this unit.
IAEA Director General Eklund last week moved
to implement the resolution's proposals. Eklund
views the creation of the unit at this time as a
helpful political step to keep the PNE question in
perspective and to minimize unnecessary debate at
the NPT Review Conference. The debate at the con-
ference is likely to center on Article 5 of the
treaty, which calls on the nuclear weapon states
to "insure that potential benefits from any peace-
ful applications of nuclear explosions will be
made available" to non-nuclear states. Some
countries have already expressed criticism of what
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they consider to be the failure of the major
powers to implement this treaty provision.
Eklund intends the unit to serve as an intern-
al coordinating mechanisr., that will conduct studies
on all aspects of PNE activity. At the same time,
he does not feel that creation of the unit will
lead to a rash of requests for such services by
the non-nuclear states.
Eklund nevertheless fears that if this "hold-
ing action" is carried too far, pressures from the
non-nuclear states for tangible results from the
unit might increase and such demands might inter-
fere with the other constructive and urgent pro-
grams which he feels the Agency is now carrying
outt. In part to head off these expected demands,
Eklund has invited the four major nuclear powers
that are in a position to supply peaceful nuclear
explosion services to a February meeting in Vienna.
The purpose of the meeting is to discuss the basic
conditions that should be incorporated in agree-
ments for the provision of PNEs.
Despite the establishment of the secretariat
unit, the UK continues to push its earlier pro-
posal for a separate committee--not incorporated in
the Agency's formal structure--that would also dis-
cuss PNEs. Membership on this committee would be
open to all members of the Agency, and not just
NPT parties. In this way the British hope that
they can get all states interested in PNEs around
the same table discussing the subject. As long
as such discussions continued,'the British feel,
no state would dare flout international concern
by proceeding with an explosion. The British are
anxious that the Indians in particular--who have
consistently defended their May nuclear test as a
PNE--will take -part in the work of the committee.
January 21, 1975
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