TO: EUROPEAN BRIEF 161-75.4

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP86T00608R000300010063-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 32
• Document Creation Date: December 19, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 14, 2005
• Sequence Number: 63
• Publication Date: October 17, 1975
• Content Type: CABLE

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Approved For Release 2005/ /22 : CIA-RDP86T00608R0003 0010063-0
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Approved For Release 2005/06/22 : CIA-RDP86T00608R000300010063-0
 Approved For Release 2005/06/22 : CIA-RDP86T00608R000300010063-0
1. MOSCOW HAS FINALLY RESPONDED TO THE ANTI-SOVIET SPEECH VICE
PPEMIER CHEN HSI-LIEN MADE TWO WEEKS AGO AT THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY
CELEBRATIONS OF THE SIl'.,..:ANG UIGHUR AUTONOMOUS REGION.Y
CHEN HAD CONGRATULATED SINKIANG FOR ITS PAST VICTORIES IN
"SMASHING" SOVIET AGGRESSION AND SUBVERSION AND WARNED OF THE
CONTINUING NEED TO MAINTAIN VIGILANCE AGAINST BOTH THE POSSIBILITY
OF A SOVIET SURPRISE ATTACK AND SOVIET ATTEMPTS TO FOMENT DISSENSION
AMONG THE MINORITIES. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME IN RECENT MONTHS
THAT A RANKING CHINESE OFFICIAL HAD EXPLICITLY RAISED THE
POSSIBILITY OF A SOVIET ATTACK ON CHINAS'
PRAVDA ON OCTOBER 15 CARRIED AN ARTICLE LAMBASTING
CHINA'S POLICIES ON MINORITIES--PARTICULARLY ITS 'SUPPRESSION OF
MINORITY RELIGIONS--AND AGAIN REMINDING SOVIET READERS OF THE
PHYSICAL THREAT CHINA POSES TO THE USSR. THE CHARGE THAT THE CHINESE'
ARE SUPPRESSING MINORITY RELIGIONS SUGGESTS THE SOVIETS BELIEVE
THAT ONE REASON CHEN WENT TO SINKIANG WAS BECAUSE OF A RELIGIOUS
PROBLEM THERE CAUSING TROUBLE FOR PEKING. PRAVDA'S IMPLICATION THAT
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CHINA POSES A Tti EAT TO THE USSR IS A LOGICAL COUNTER TO CHEN'S
ANTI-SOVIET REMARKSSY
I10SCOW'S DELAY IN RESPONDING TO CHEN'S TRIP TO SINKIAWG
2. ROMANIA! ROMtIANIAN PRESIDENT CEAUSESCU ABRUPTLY CANCEALED
RESORTED TO "NEId ATTACKS AGAINST PEACE AND SECURITY."
SUGGESTS THE SOVIETS AT FIRST WERE UNCERTAIN AS TO PRECISELY WHAT
THE VISIT SIGNIFIED. CHEN WAS THE COMMANDER OF THE SHENYANG MILITARY
REGION WHEN THE FIRST ARMED CLASHES TOOK PLACE AL^Ne, THE SINO-SOVIET.
BORDER IN MARCH 1969. THE SOVIETS MAY INITIALLY HAVE FELT THAT THE
TRIP TO SINKIANG--HIS' FIRST PUBLICIZED VISIT TO A BORDER AREA SINCE HE
MOVED TO PEKING IN 19?4--WAS INTENDEDAS A SIGNAL TO THEM OF A MORE
AGGRESSIVE CHINESE POSTURE 41,LONG THE BORDER- Y
THE SOVIETS LONG HAVE FELT THAT THE DANGER OF TROUBLE ALONG THE
BORDER INCREASES PROPORTIONATELY WITH THE LEVEL OF POLITICAL TENSION
IN-PEKING. ON SEPTEMBER 21, A SOVIET CHINA-WATCHER, CO11MENTING ON
THE CURRENT "WATER MARGIN" CAMPAIGN IN CHINA, WARNED PUBLICLY
OF THE NEED FOR VIGILANCE AND CAUTION. BECAUSE IT WAS DURING TIMES OF
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INSTABILITY IN CHINA THAT THE MAOIST LEADERSHIP IN THE PAST HAD
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