INFORMAL MEMO TO NIO/EUR FROM (Sanitized)

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79R00603A002600010003-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 2, 2002
• Sequence Number: 3
• Publication Date: May 25, 1977
• Content Type: MEMO

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0 SECRET
25X1A
25X1A
25 May 77
I'm taking this form of communicating with you informally on some problems
I have with the basic concept of the "Eurocommunism" paper, which there was not
sufficient time to discuss at the meeting this morning (and for which thrt meeting
may not have be -n the best forum.
Specifically, I don't think the draft addresses the question of Eurocommunism.
if the paper were entitled something like "Consequences of Entry Into Government
of the PCF and PCI", I would not be troubled. My real problem is the difficulty
I have accepting your definition of Eurocommunism in pare one of the overview.
While I certainly accept "Eurcommunism" as including certain shared attitudes of
the '.:CL, PCF and PCE, I also believe that ,turcommunism" has clearly perceptible
t 9-4
programmatic and structural aspects including, but not restricted to, the two or three
major CPs under discussion. These are not discussed at all in the paper and I think
we disserve customers if we do not mike 2ttxg*xax some reference to these programmatic
and structural aspectsx which are affecting not only the political philosophy
of communism in western Rurope but the tcctical style of the participating parties.
Items:
a) One of the results of the Feb 74 Brussels Conference of Western
European CPs was an effort to implement a system in which the WECPs would
share information and facilities with respect to issues of common interest.
An example which we have documented -- the CPGB was appointed as repository
for information collected by all the WECPs on major multinational corporations.
WECPs agreed to forward such information (in response to specific requirements)
to the CPGB which would collate the information and make specific segments
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available on request to the other CPs.
b) Another result of the Brussels 1974 Conference was the development of
a format for multilateral WECP seminar meetings to find common ground on
specific issues. A number of such meetings hove been held since 1974 on
topics like unemployment, inflation, currency control, women's rights,
immigrant workers, etc. This is a real coordination function of WECPs
(without involvement of the CPSU or other Bloc CPs) and represents, I think,
an incipient structure.
c) There is a close "Eurcommunist" coordination in terms of WECP participation
in European Institutio4s. At this time, this i4volves only the PCI and PCF,
but the structufing of a bloc of Communist deputies to the European Parliament
(which is a functioning working group, not simply titular) indicates an
intention to coordinate positions of EC matters.
d) Within this context, I think the PCF's rather recent decision to withdraw
its opposition to direct elections to the European Parliament, is a
"Eurocommunist" event in two respects. First, it indicates r new willigness
on the part of the PCF to let its policies be influenced by the arguments
of other WECPs (principally, nr.turally, the PCI) and second it demonstrates
an increased willigness of the PCF to permit itself to participate more
actively than before in Community affairs. Significantly, this particular
measure can be interpreted as a PCF "sacrifice" in favor of Eurocommunist
Fr.Aft Ce
unity -- the gesture gains them very little politically and could be
expensive for them.
These are off the top of my head -- research would probably produce more and better
examples. Finally, I think we should keep in mind that the WECPs are to meet in
Brussels ion beginning 6 June. This is the first 'plenary' meeting of all the WECPs
since the Feb 74 meeting. Strictly viscerally (I have no advance info to support),
I would not be surprised if this new Brussels meeting created a permanant structure
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WECP
for/policy coordination and mutual tactical reinforcement. This would be a real
defiance of the CPSU and the approac'i would have to be tentative -- perhaps a
'permanent committee of collLboration' rather than a secretariat. While there is
no pointin speculating about this in the paper, it is going to appear just about the
time of the 6 June Brussels meeting. In any event, I think a :pmpx paper entitled
"Eurocommunism" will be xn incomplete if there is no reference to the perceptible
organizational aspects of the movement.
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