EASTERN EUROPEAN INTELLIGENCER

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79B00864A001200020107-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 21, 2006
• Sequence Number: 107
• Publication Date: July 12, 1972
• Content Type: STUDY

Approved For Releas~007/03/07 : 00864A001 X020107-9
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State Dept. review completed
#130
EASTERN EUROPEAN INTELLIGENCER OCI #0931/72
12 July 1972
A roved For Release 2007/03/07: CIA-RDP79B00864A001200020107-9
 Approved For Relex~2007/03/07 : ~~B00864A00'k:~0020107-9
Polish Foreign Minister Visits Bucharest
Foreign Minister Olszowski's first official-visit to
Bucharest on 10-11 July received unusually good coverage
in both Polish and Romanian news media. In addition,
Ceausescu met with Olszowski yesterday. The principal
topic of their talk apparently was the European security
conference--a subject on which the two sides~fourid them-
selves in close agreement.
Given the good atmospherics, it appears likely that
details for Polish party chief Gierek's long-rumored visit
to Bucharest may have been. ironed out. Gierek has not
visited Romania .since he took over from Gomulka in December
1970. Although Ceausescu has not made an official visit
to Poland with Gierek as his host., he did attend the Polish
party congress last December.
Poles Prepare for Rural Reorganization
The government has announced that beginning next Jan-
uary it will implement a broad administrative reorganiza-
tion of the rural areas. The reform will basically in-
volve the merger. and expansion of geographic and adminis-
trative authority of the lowest commune level of Peoples'
Councils as the major organs responsible for economic
and social planning and public works. By expanding the
local councils" size and. authority, the regime hopes to
increase their efficiency, particularly in agricultural
production. The regime estimates that the 4313 Councils
now running rural communities will be reduced to about
2500. The plans call for higher revenues to be made
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available to the new Councils as well as the better use
of competent administrators, economists, and planners.
The new Councils theoretically will be more autonomous
from the district and provincial (voivodship) Councils,
and are intended t,o solve local problems with local re-
sources.
The reorganization is billed as one of the largest
administrative reforms to be implemented since World War
II and will affect about half of Poland's-population of
33 million. The final plans, to be debated at the next
central committee plenum, will be another major chapter
in Warsaw's effort during the past decade to modernize
agricultural production and to decentralize local ad-
ministration. Earlier efforts have been hampered by a
lack of competent administrators and jurisdictional
jealousies of party organizations, trade unions and the
like.
By shifting authority and responsibility for local
problems to the lowest level of local government, Gierek.
is seeking to fulfill his promise of giving the people a
greater sense of participation in government. At the
same time, he evidently has no intention of losing party
control. The local party organizations, who have been
told that they have an .important role to play in helping
to implement the local government reorganization, are
at the same time being brought under tighter central
-party control? Gierek has recently called special sessions
o~ party committees in the'Northern and Western provinces 25X1
to deal with the parc.y control and has sent out special
inspection teams to. re ort on rovincial art or aniza-
tion.
Yugoslav Premier Addresses CEMA
Tass reports the attendance of Premier Bi'edic at
the current CEMA session in Moscow 25X1
in such a way that the casua _ rea er wou.. pre-
sume Yugoslavia is a full member of the organization--
not an observer, according to the Embassy Moscow. The
implication, of course, is that Belgrade is drawing closer
to the Soviet bloc at the expense of its ties to nonalign-
ment and to the west.
Lest there be any doubt, however,. Bijedic in address-
ing yesterday's session made his government's position clear.
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Yugoslavia's improved relations with CEMA are just one
dart of a broader policy which. reflects Belgrade's interest
in improved. economic rela:ti.ons with all countries based
oii the principles o_f "respect for national sovereignty,
equality and noninterference in the internal affairs of
other countries and respect for differences in economic
and political systems."
Bijedic specifically cited closer ties in the produc-
tion of ball-bearings, the chemical industry and in the
international banks of CEMA as areas of Yugoslav intexest.
Belgrade also is reportedly interested in sending a dele-
gation to the newly-formed cooperation committee for t~lan-
ning.
NOTE; THE VIEWS EXPRESSED ABOVE REPRESENT.
ONLY THE ANALYSIS OF THE EE BRANCH
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