EASTERN EUROPEAN INTELLIGENCER

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79B00864A000800010095-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 21, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 3, 2008
• Sequence Number: 95
• Publication Date: February 28, 1968
• Content Type: REPORT

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28 February 1
Soviets Open Substantive Debates at Budapest Meeting
Yesterday the sparring and feinting ended at the Budapest
preparatory meeting when the leader of the USSR's delegation,
Mikhail Suslov, called for an International Communist Conference
(ICC) in Moscow this November or December. Although some
delegates in their responses left room to discuss their positions
on this question, the bulk of the comments were favorable to
convening a meeting "in late fall". The only qualifications
were voiced by the Rumanians who insisted that all parties
should attend such a conference and that some form of participa-
tion should be provided for noncommunist progressive parties.
(The Rumanian qualifications would virtually negate any possi-
bility of holding an ICC in the foreseeable future.) The
communique issued at the end of business yesterday made no
concessions to progressive parties attendance at an ICC and,
although it stated all parties would be invited, the communique
insisted that the ICC was not dependent on universal attendance.
In another move which will cause even wider dissention among
the adherents of independence or polycentrism, Zenon Kliszko,
the Polish delegation head, proposed the creation of a standing pre-
paratory committee reminiscent of the Cominform and Comintern
type control bodies. (See Polish article below)
The Yugoslav
omes is service reports that a compromise on control of
publicity has been reached which will allow individual delega-
tions some initiative in voicing their views to the press,
however, the daily communique will remain the main source of
official information. (UNCL)
Poles Call for Preparatory Commission at Budapest
The head of the Polish delegation at the Budapest meeting,
Zenon Kliszko, called for the "setting up of a commission for
the organizational preparation" of a world Communist conference. 25X1
Kliszko's call was supported by the Soviet delegate who said
the "preparatory commission should be set up in the course of
the present meeting in Budapest."
GROUP I
EXCLUDED FROM AUTOMATIC
DOWNGRADING AND DECLASSIFICATION
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COMMENT: This appears to confirm long circulating rumors
in Warsaw that the Poles would call for some form of interna-
tional organization to be set up during the Budapest meeting,
which might be headed by Polish party boss Gomulka. Since
the world conference may well be long in coming, if it is ever
held, any "preparatory commission" would soon become a de facto
permanent body.
According to the rumors, the naming of Gomulka to head
it would among other things, be a graceful way of easing him
out of his domestic policy functions.
It remains to be seen whether the proposal gets off the
ground, since at least the Rumanians will realize its implica-
tions and are certain to oppose it.
Low Level, Albanian Purge in Progress
A low level purge of party dissidents is in progress in
the Durres district of Albania, according to a 10 February
article in Zeri I Popullit, by Rita Marko, 1st Secretary of
the district, MarkoTs article attacks "backward communists"
who harbor "alien" (Soviet?) remnants and become an obstacle
to revolutionizing the masses, and names persons who have
recently been expelled from the party for such reasons. Marko 25X1
further warns that there are also secretaries "of basic
organizations or directors, who in their work have not relied
the masses, causin reat damage to the work."
COMMENT: While there were rumors of discontent and
associated low level. party expulsions throughout 1.967, this
is the first open criticism of party members by name, at any
level, in over a year. The fact that Marko is also a member
of the politiburo and vice president of the People's Assembly
adds weight to his thinly veiled warnings against bureaucratism,
indifference, and "all alien" concepts. This highly unusual
open acknowledgement by a regime official that a purge is
in progress gives rise to speculation that these events could
be a prelude to more extensive expulsion's throughout Albania,
perhaps reaching into the upper levels of the party/government
hierarchy.
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Czechoslovak Olympic Ice Hockey Team Honored
New patty boss Dubcek decorated the hockey team with
medals for "outstanding work" during a reception on 24
February.
COMMENT: The team's victory over the favored Russians
has been a visible source of joy to the Czechoslovaks. After
television broadcasts of the game were completed, the streets
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of many cities and towns were filled throughout the night
with excited, happy people according to the Czechoslovak
Press Agency, Dubcek has been cashing in on this popular
sentiment. He sent an immediate telegram of congratulation:,
to the team, and later mentioned their exploits in his speeuhesa
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