THE USSR REGIONAL AND POLITICAL ANALYSIS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79T00912A000100010079-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 13
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 12, 2004
• Sequence Number: 79
• Publication Date: August 18, 1977
• Content Type: REPORT

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The USSR
EGIONAL AND
OUTICAL ANALYSIS
Confidential
2A 0
RP ASU 77-022
18 August 1977
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THE USSR
18 August 1977
Scientific Power Play Stalled . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
This publication is prepared by the USSR Division, Office of Regional and Political
Analysis, with occasional contributions from other offices within the Directorate of
Intelligence. The views presented are the personal judgments of analysts on signifi-
cant events or trends in Soviet foreign and domestic affairs. Although the analysis
centers on political matters, it discusses politically relevant economic or strategic
trends when appropriate. Differences of opinion are sometimes aired to present
consumers with a range of analytical views. Comments and queries are welcome.
They should be directed to the authors of the individual articles or to
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Scientific Power Play Stalled
The Soviet scientific community was stunned last
week by the sudden death of Academician Rem V. Khokhlov,
Rector of Moscow State University. The 51-year-old edu-
cator and Lenin Prize winning laser physicist died of
heart trouble in a Moscow hospital on 8 August after be-
ing stricken four days earlier during a mountain climb-
ing expedition in the Pamir range. Khokhlov's death
came just as evidence and speculations were increasing
that he was about to be the major beneficiary of a
power play at the highest levels of Moscow's scientific
hierarchy.
Most of the recent speculation has centered around
the possible forced retirement of Anatoliy P. Aleksan-
drov, the 73-year-old president of the USSR Academy of
Sciences--the prestigious organization that oversees
the entire civilian basic research program of the Soviet
Union. Traditionally, the academy president has had a
powerful voice in determining the priorities and direc-
tion of Soviet research programs and in approving the
nature of cooperative scientific exchanges with other
nations. Neither Soviet nor Western scientists, how-
ever, consider t e
academy leader
IA dutiful follower of the Communist
Party of the Soviet Union, Aleksandrov was clearly a
compromise choice for his post. Under his "caretaker"
tenure, party leaders hoped to maintain ideological con-
formity within the academy and denigrate the activities
of dissident Soviet scientists.
Aleksandrov was elected in November 1975 for a
five-year term, and thus he has over three years re-
maining on his tenure. In recent months, however, it
had appeared that increasing pressures from academy
members seeking more independent and visible leadership
were about to force Aleksandrov's early retirement in
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favor of Khokhlov. Khokhlov had served on the academy's
governing body, the Presidium, since November 1975, and
in the spring of this year he had just been named a
vice president of the academy without portfolio--a move
probably designed to facilitate his election to the
presidency.
Now, however, the academy leadership situation will
probably remain at a standstill for an indefinite period.
With Khokhlov's passing, the academy members seeking
Aleksandrov's removal have lost their only viable can-
didate. In a scientific community noted for its fac-
tions and political infighting, Khokhlov had been able
to avoid any entanglements. According to his Soviet
colleagues, he was the "Mr. Clean" of the Moscow scien-
tific community. At this point, barring Aleksandrov's
early retirement for legitimate age or health reasons,
there do not appear to be any other candidates after
Khokhlov having enough prestige and influence to unseat
Aleksandrov during the remaining three years of his
party-backed tenure.
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The USSR
REGIONAL AND
OLITICAL ANALYSIS
Conf idential
RP ASU 77-022
25 August 1977
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THE USSR
25 August 1977
Mazurov and Consumer Industry . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
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Mazurov and Consumer Industry
The public record of First Deputy Premier Mazurov's
activities indicates that he has a special responsibility
for consumer industries, trade, and services. A series
of decrees on these subjects this past year may have
been issued under his aegis. The evidence does not point
to a strong bias against heavy industry on Mazurov's
part, but his duties may have engendered an interest in
and appreciation of the problems of consumer production.
In July 1973, Mazurov mentioned to a US Embassy of-
ficer that he had responsibility for transportation
matters. His other functions are revealed by examining
his appearances at economic meetings that often command
attendance by the responsible deputy premier. During
the 1970s, Mazurov has attended meetings concerning
light industry, consumer cooperatives, trade, the fish
industry, railroads, and education. He made practically
no solo appearances at meetings dealing with heavy in-
dustry. His interest in education was also signaled in
July 1973 when he delivered a report on the subject to
the Supreme Soviet.
What accounts for the pattern in Mazurov's activi-
ties? It should be observed that his actual concerns
undoubtedly have been broader than the ones listed above,
especially when he was the only first deputy premier for
industry. He has not betrayed a bias against heavy in-
dustry in his public speeches. His interest in the rail-
roads probably springs from his education and early em-
ployment in the transportation field. He may have assumed
other duties because they were not being handled by the
deputy premiers, most of whom have supervised sectors of
heavy industry and foreign trade. Thus, the simplest
explanation may be that he has been filling gaps while
exercising general responsibility for the industrial
economy.
Soviet authorities have given consumer affairs con-
siderable public attention in the past year. Brezhnev,
in his speech to the Central Committee last October,
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criticized past performance in consumer production,
called the five-year targets minimum goals, and an-
nounced that the Council of Ministers was preparing pro-
posals to develop this sector further. The next month,
(communist carried an article by Mazurov on consumer wel-
fare, in which he noted that a series of measures was
being devised for improving planning and incentives in
the production of consumer goods. The decrees soon be-
gan to issue forth:
--Council of Ministers decree on improving light
industry in Moscow and Ivanovo 4blasts during 1976-80,
November 1976.
--Central Committee and Council of Ministers decree
on developing consumer production during 1976-80
and improving quality, January 1977.
--Central Committee decree on the work of the RSFSR
Ministry of Consumer Services, February 1977.
--Central Committee and Council of Ministers decree
on developing trade, July 1977.
The decrees encompass measures that should bring
some marginal improvements, but they avoid major new in-
vestments or systemic changes that would make a large
difference in performance.
What is the significance of Mazurov's portfolio?
Since he has been out of sight for long stretches during
the past year--presumably because of sickness--the decrees
show that he remains active in the policy realm. He is
overseeing a sector in which Brezhnev has long shown in-
terest, but also one that he has often criticized. Mazu-
rov finds himself paired in the government and party with
heavy industry advocates. The new First Deputy Premier,
N. A. Tikhonov, has long supervised the metallurgical
and coal industries, and his appointment last September
may encourage a division of labor at that level. The
party's chief overseer of the economy, Kirilenko, has
also been chiefly concerned with heavy industry. Mazu-
rov's working relationship with Kirilenko may be more
complementary than contentious, but the evidence is thin.
The question takes on importance, however, because they
are the pair next in line for the too party and rrnvarn_
ment jobs.
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