WESTERN EUROPE CANADA INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79T00865A001200250002-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: December 12, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 31, 2001
• Sequence Number: 2
• Publication Date: June 25, 1975
• Content Type: NOTES

Approved For Release 2002/01/10 : CIA-RDP79T00865A001200250OLL2-1
Secret
No Foreign Dissem
LAEE JEThE
Western Europe
Canada
International Organizations
Secret
No. 0215-75
June 25, 1975
Approved For Release 2002/01/10 : CIA-RDP79T00865AO01200250002-1
 Approved For Release 2002/01/10 : CIA-RDP79T00865A001200250002-1
NO DISSEM ABROAD/BACKGROUND USE ONLY
CONTROLLED DISSEM
Warning Notice
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. O. 11652, exemption category:
? 5B (1), (2), and (3)
Automatically declassified
on: Date Impossible to Determine
Approved For Release 2002/01/10 : CIA-RDP79T00865A001200250002-1
 Approved For Release 2002/0~46cg-RDP79T00865A001200250002-1
WESTERN EUROPE - CANADA - INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
This publication is prepared for regional specialists in the Washington com-
munity by the Western Europe Division, Office of Current Intelligence, 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.
French Communist Trade Union Confederation
Emphasizes Link to Communist Labor
International . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Yugoslav and Romanian Reactions to
Italian Elections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Spanish Prime Minister Reaffirms His
Political Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
June 25, 1975
-i-
SECRET
Approved For Release 2002/01/10 : CIA-RDP79T00865AO01200250002-1
 Approved For Release 2002/01/ 10.C9-RDP79T00865A001200250002-1
French Communist Trade Union Confederation
Emphasizes Link to Communist Labor
International
The French communist-dominated Confedera-
tion Generale du Travail (CGT) continues to
play up its close relationship with the communist-
controlled labor international, the World Federa-
tion of Trade Unions (WFTU), despite the negative
impact this has on its bid to join the European
Trade Union Confederation (ETUC).
Last week the democratic trade union con-
federation--the Confederation Generale du Tra-
vail-Force Ouvriere (CGT-FO)--celebrated the
founding of the CGT in 1895. It continues to
assert that it, rather than the CGT as now com-
posed, is the true heir of the founding organi-
zation. The original CGT was taken over by its
communist leaders in 1947; the non-communists
subsequently pulled out to form the FO. The FO
celebrations revive for the public memories of
the communists' unethical tactics at that time
and draw an implicit parallel with communist
strategy in current communist-socialist disputes
in France and Portugal. The CGT has, almost per-
force, been compelled to reverse its policy of
ignoring the anniversary.
CGT Secretary General Georges Seguy told a
US Embassy officer last week that the most im-
portant event in the CGT's anniversary program
will be a WFTU General Council meeting in Paris
this October. This will be the second time that
the government has permitted a major WFTU meet-
ing in France since it forced it to move its
headquarters from Paris in 1951.
June 25, 1975
-1-
SECRET
Approved For Release 2002/01/10 : CIA-RDP79T00865A001200250002-1
 Approved For Release ftblkIOTCIA-RDP79T00865A001200250002-1
Seguy said that the government has not yet
replied either to a 1973 WFTU request to move
its permanent headquarters back to Paris, or to
an application in early 1974 to locate the WFTU
metalworkers' department there. There is no
recent information available to the Embassy on
Paris' current attitude on this matter. However,
the authorization for the General Council ses-
sion may presage a favorable response to the other
applications.
The CGT's relationship with WFTU is a major
roadblock to its bid to join the ETUC, and ETUC
President Hans Vetter was authorized in February
to tell Seguy that the application would not be
further considered as long as the CGT retains
full membership in WFTU. The Seguy-Vetter meet-
ing has been twice postponed and, according to
Seguy at least, both were last-minute cancella-
tions by Vetter. Although the unanimous ETUC
Presidium decision would imply a consensus,
European trade unions are in fact sharply divided
over the matter. The Germans and the Belgians
strongly oppose CGT membership and the British,
the Italian communist confederation, and some
Scandinavian unions support it.
the CGT
would never change its WFTU status in order to
accommodate the ETUC. Moreover, boasted
that such a change was not even necessary, as
persistence would wear down opposition within
the ETUC to CGT affiliation. (Secret No Foreign
Dissem/No Dissem Abroad/Background Use Only/
Controlled Dissem)
SECRET
25X1 C
25X1 C
Approved For Release 2002/01/10 : CIA-RDP79T00865AO01200250002-1
 Approved For Release 2002/01/
q 4-(P79T00865A001200250002-1
fig
Yugoslav and Romanian Reactions to Italian Elections
News media in Yugoslavia and Romania have
predictably hailed the electoral gains of the
independent-minded Italian Communist Party in
last week's regional elections. Belgrade and
Bucharest expect the Italian party will now be
an even stronger ally in resisting Soviet pres-
sure to dominate .preparations for the European
Communist conference.
Radio Belgrade on June ]9 depicted the PCI's
gains as the logical outcome for a party that
rejected foreign models (read Moscow) and con-
vinced voters that it is a national party seeking
Italian solutions to Italian problems. The PCI's
victories, according to Belgrade, prove that
national Communist parties have a legitimate
role to play in tackling the specific circum-
stances facing each country. The Yugoslavs
flatly reject any notion that Italy's economic
problems are the key to the PCI's successes.
Indeed, Belgrade asserts that the Italian Com-
munists have achieved their victory because
they have rejected blind obedience to others
(again read Moscow), and have offered cooperation
on an equal footing with all parties to the left.
The Romanians have been even more effusive
in praising the PCI. An article in the party
daily on June 19 gave full marks to the Italian
Communist's "creativity," and "ability to adapt
revolutionary theories to specific, unique
problems." Bucharest also cited the wisdom
of the PCI in cooperating with democratic and
progressive forces in Italy--the Socialists,
Social Democrats, and the broad masses of
Catholics.
June 25, 1975
-3-
SECRET
Approved For Release 2002/01/10 : CIA-RDP79T00865AO01200250002-1
 Approved For Release 2002/01/1&OEXJYRFJZ
Spanish Prime Minister Reaffirms His Political
Program
In a major speech to the Spanish parliament
on Tuesday, Prime Minister Arias tried to placate
his critics on both the left and right by stressing
the need for law and order, as well as further
political development, but neither group is likely
to be fully satisfied.
Arias devoted much of his speech to Prince
Juan Carlos, General Franco's designated heir,
than to Franco, but he shed no light on when
the transfer of power would take place. Arias
thus disappointed the many Spaniards who have
been calling for Franco to step down. The
extensive praise for Juan Carlos may have been
intended as a slap against the Prince's father,
Don Juan of Borbon, who recently renewed his claim
to the throne.
The Prime Minister pointed to. the outlawed
Communists as the greatest obstacle to a smooth
transition after Franco goes. He announced that
before the end of the year, he would send the
parliament a special draft law on fighting
communism. The law probably means harsh police
action against the Communists and their allies
in the underground.trade.union movement and
in the Communist-dominated Democratic Junta,
which was formed in Paris last July and now
operates clandestinely in Spain.
Arias also condemned separatist movements,
especially those in the troubled northern Basque
provinces. He defended the state of emergency
imposed on two Basque provinces on April 25 that
gives the police additional powers, and he did
June 25, 1975
-5 -
SECRET
Approved For Release 2002/01/10 : CIA-RDP79T00865AO01200250002-1
 Approved For Release 20 /Mt:'IA-RDP79T00865AO01200250002-1
not indicate when the emergency decree would
be lifted. He sounded a conciliatory note,
however, saying his government is looking at
regional development plans that could meet
some separatist grievances.
The Prime Minister singled out the armed
forces.for special praise for their "serene,
sober, and well-balanced attitude" and their
recognition that one of their highest missions
is to guarantee the protection of the present
institutions of government and order. He also
credited the armed forces for exercising "prudence
and courage" in the Sahara by not giving in to
provocations and threats--his only reference
to foreign affairs in the entire speech.
Arias spoke again of wider participation
in government through creation of political
associations. Admitting that the project
had aroused opposition, Arias announced he
would remove some restrictions on associations
and will permit them to participate in the
parliamentary election this fall. This measure
is blunted, however, by the fact that only one
fifth of the 565 members are elected by direct
vote.
Arias cited the appointment last week of
Jose Solis Ruiz as minister-secretary general
of the National Movement as a boost for associa-
tionism, noting that Solis was an early active
promoter of associations. Arias can take little
other comfort from the appointment, Solis,
an ambitious politician, who has been mentioned
as a future prime minister, reportedly was
appointed by Franco against Arias' wish.
(Confidential)
SECRET
Approved For Release 2002/01/10 : CIA-RDP79T00865AO01200250002-1
 Approved For Release 2002/01/10 : CIA-RDP79T00865AO01200250002-1
Secret
Secret
Approved For Release 2002/01/10 : CIA-RDP79T00865AO01200250002-1