WESTERN EUROPE CANADA INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
Document Type:
Collection:
Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST):
CIA-RDP79T00865A002100270001-0
Release Decision:
RIPPUB
Original Classification:
S
Document Page Count:
14
Document Creation Date:
December 12, 2016
Document Release Date:
July 12, 2001
Sequence Number:
1
Case Number:
Publication Date:
November 13, 1975
Content Type:
NOTES
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Body:
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Secret
NOFORN
97a
Western Europe
Canada
International Organizations
Secret
No. 0305-75
November 13, 1975
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NOCONTRACT/ORCON
Warning Notice
Sensitive Intelligence Sources and Methods Involved
(WNINTEL)
NATIONAL SECURITY INFORMATION
Unauthorized Disclosure Subject to Criminal Sanctions
DISSEMINATION CONTROL ABBREVIATIONS
NOFORN- Not Releasable to Foreign Nationals
NOCONTRACT- Not Releasable to Contractors or
Contractor/Consultants
PROPIN- Caution--Proprietary Information Involved
USIBONLY- USIB Departments Only
ORCON- Dissemination and Extraction of Information
Controlled by Originator
REL... - This Information has been Authorized for
Release to ...
Classified by 010725
Exempt from general declassification schedule
of E.O. 11652, exemption category:
058(1), (2), and (3)
Automatically declassified on:
Date Impossible to Determine
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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.
Friction Between Greek Political, Parties and
Government Increases . . . . . . . . . . . .
Court to Hear Dispute Between Austrian Chancellor
and Nazi Hunter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Christian Democratic-Communist Rivalry Making
Italian Labor Negotiations More Difficult. . 5
Dutch To Try French Aircraft Representative. . 9
Scattered Local Elections in Italy
on Sunday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
November 13, 1975
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Friction Between Greek Political Parties and
Government Increases
Extremists on the left and the right have
stepped up the frequency and pitch of their attacks
against each other and against the government. Each
group accuses the government of collaborating with
the other. Although concerned about the affects
of increased. polarization on his government, Caramanlis
seems determined to maintain his middle-of-the-road
position.
The present campaign is spearheaded by the
far right through its newspaper "Eleftheros Kosmos"
which supported the junta. The newspaper has repeatedly
charged that communism is making unprecedented
inroads in Greece, particularly among students,
labor, and the news media. It has taken the government--
particularly certain cabinet ministers--to task
for allegedly coddling and even encouraging the
communists. The paper has also revived the potentially
volatile issue of the monarchy which has been dormant
since its overwhelming repudiation in a referendum
last December. A monarchist organization called
"Royal Union" and several pro-monarchist periodicals
have sprung up recently.
Elements of the left have responded in kind
to these attacks and charged the government with
re-establishing a fascist state. Privately, they
are concerned that Caramanlis may in fact succumb
to rightist pressure and crack down on the left.
The government has warned the public not to
be fooled by the rhetoric of either extreme and
charged that both aim at undermining stable democratic
government in Greece. Privately, Caramanlis has
November 13, 1975
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expressed particular concern about the machinations
of the far right and the possibility that junta
supporters and monarchists might unite against
him. The Prime Minister has reportedly admitted
that the monarchy issue was still a very sensitive
one that could pose problems for his government.
Thus far, Caramanlis has generally ignored
the attacks from the right and cautioned other
newspaper publishers to avoid polemics with "Eleftheros
Kosmos" in the hope its campaign against the government
will gradually die out. At the same time, he seems
inclined to continue his policy of containing communist
influence but not crushing it as the right demands.
He sees the growth of communism--not substantial
by West European standards--as part of the price
of democracy.
Relations between the far left and far right
will probably become further exacerbated on Monday
when leftists participate in demonstrations--some
aimed at the US embassy--marking the second anniversary
of the student uprising that resulted in some 30
deaths and the toppling of one junta by another.
(SECRET NOFORN/NOCONTRACT/ORCON)
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Court to Hear Dispute Between Austrian Chancellor
and Nazi Hunter
The dispute between Chancellor Kreisky and
Jewish Documentation Center chief Simon Wiesenthal
is headed for the courts. Wiesenthal filed suit
this week and the court is expected to begin
proceedings early next year.
The case grew out of charges by Wiesenthal
last month that Friedrich Peter--chairman of
the Austrian Liberal Party and a potential political
ally of Kreisky's--had committed atrocities while
a member of the SS in World War II. Although
Peter admits that he belonged to the SS, he denies
the atrocity charges.
Kreisky, a non-practicing Jew, quickly came
to Peter's defense, saying he would waive his
legal immunity and testify in Peter's behalf.
In addition, Kreisky charged that Wiesenthal
had collaborated with the Nazis during the war
and that he had obtained his Austrian citizenship
illegally.
Some of Kreisky's colleagues in his own
Socialist Party have questioned the wisdom of
their leader's action. About 40 prominent Socialist
Party members have publicly associated themselves
with a call for Peter's retirement from political
life.
The reason for the Chancellor's actions
are not clear. If Kreisky and the Socialists
had failed to win a majority in last month's
national election, he might have needed Peter's
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support in a coalition. The Socialists, however,
won a clear majority, obviating the necessity
of relying on the support of the Liberals.
One possible explanation might be Kreisky's
assessment of the public mood in Austria which
appears to be one of trying to forget Vienna's
association with the Third Reich. Furthermore,
many Austrians probably collaborated in one way
or another during World War II and Wiesenthal's
continuing revelations could endanger some prominent
reputations. Kreisky admitted as much when he
told the press that Wiesenthal's "constant scandals"
had damaged Austria abroad.
If Wiesenthal is discredited, he might be
persuaded to move his operations elsewhere or
at least cease to be a disruptive influence in
national life. Should Wiesenthal win in court,
on the other hand, Peter's political career almost
certainly would be over and Kreisky and the Socialists
would loose prestige at home and abroad. (CONFIDENTIAL)
November 13, 1975
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Christian Democratic-Communist Rivalry Making Italian
Labor Negotiations 'More Difficult
Negotiations for the renewal of labor contracts
involving about a quarter of the Italian work force
are being complicated by sharp divisions within
organized labor over what line to take in the talks.
The dispute reflects not only differences over bargain-
ing strategy but also competition for influence in
the labor movement between the Christian Democratic
and Communist-dominated labor confederations.
Labor is represented in the negotiations by a
federation that includes both organizations but
which is, in fact, dominated by the Communist one.
As part of their effort to stress a responsible
approach to the country's economic problems, Communist
labor leaders have used their influence to have the
federation push for job security measures rather
than excessive wage increases. The government and
employers have generally welcomed that policy but
it has met with increasing opposition from the rank-
and-file in the federation and from unions that are
not affiliated with it.
At least some of the widespread strike activity
now affecting Italy--the week opened with over a
million workers on strike--is part of an effort by
the federation leadership to satisfy rank-and-file
pressure for a more militant stance.
But the federation's moderate line is also
threatened by growing rivalry within the organization
between Communist and Christian Democratic labor
leaders. The Communists' dramatic gains in the local
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elections last summer appear to have dampened
Christian Democratic enthusiasm for the labor unity
movement that gave birth to the federation three
years ago.
As a result, leaders of the Christian Democratic
confederation are now taking pains to stress their
independence from the Communists. Ironically, how-
ever, this is leading the Christian Democrats to
urge the federation to adopt a more militant policy,
since the Communists have already preempted the middle
ground.
At the same time, the Christian Democratic
labor confederation seems to be reviving its interest
in party affairs--which has flagged as the labor unity
movement has gone forward. Its leader--Bruno Storti--
recently joined a group of party activists who are
trying to restore Christian Democratic ties to
industrial workers. The weakening of these ties
in recent years has made it more difficult for the
Christian Democrats to compete electorally with the
left.
As long as the dispute in the labor movement
continues, Prime Minister Moro will need all of his
tactical skill to avoid additional strains on his
government, which includes supporters of both sides.
Moro has been successful in the preliminary talks,
but the stiffest challenges will come between now
and December when most of the actual contracts will
be negotiated. (CONFIDENTIAL)
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Dutch To Try French Aircraft Representative
After a year-long investigation, the Dutch Justice
Ministry has given the green light to start legal
proceedings against Jan Botterman, the local repre-
sentative of Dassault, the French aircraft manufacturer.
Botterman was accused last October of trying to
bribe two Dutch members of parliament in an effort to
get them to support the purchase of the Mirage to
replace the F-104 fighter. No date has been set as
yet for the trial. If convicted, Botterman faces a
maximum penalty of two-years imprisonment or a fine
of approximately $7,500. (UNCLASSIFIED)
November 13, 1975
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Scattered Local Elections in Italy on Sunday
Municipal elections will be held in 125
small Italian towns on Sunday. Although the con-
tests are of marginal significance--less than one
percent of the electorate is involved--the results
will be reviewed carefully in Italy, as this is
the first time that Italians have gone to the
polls since the Communists scored unprecedented
gains in nationwide local elections last June.
The small sample of voters involved will
make it impossible to determine whether the trend
toward the left is continuing, but, in any case the
Italian media and some politicians will attach
significance to the results if they point clearly
in any direction. The outcome could have some
effect on public opinion as the parties prepare
for more widespread and important local races in
the spring.
From the US perspective, the most interesting
contest will be in the small Sardinian town of La
Maddelena--the site since 1972 of a US nuclear
submarine tending facility. Although the existence
of the facility has not been a major issue in the
campaign, the Communist Party and Italian environ-
mentalists have in the past attacked the US presence
on various grounds, including their claim that the
facility poses the threat of nuclear pollution.
The Christian Democrats won an absolute majority
in La Maddelena in 1970, but support for them seems
to be slipping. (CONFIDENTIAL)
Ncavember 13, 1975
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