SOVIET UNION - EASTERN EUROPE ( CI SNEE 76-18)

Created: 10/5/1976

OCR scan of the original document, errors are possible

Soviet Union-Eastern Europe

STAFF NOTES

Sjeret

ocLobcr S, 19

SOVIETASTERN EUROPE

This publication is' prepared for regional specialist! in the Washingtonby theastern Europe Division, Office of Currentwith occasional contributions 'rom other offices within the Directorate of Intelligence. Comments and queries are welcome. They should be directed to the authors of the individual articles.

CONTENTS October6 Ceausescu and the Warsaw Pact .

Bronze Bust of Suslov Unveiled

Ceausescu and the Warsaw Pact

peech to an army-party meeting on Octoberresident Ceausescu publicly reaffirmed Romania's intent to honor military commitments under theTreaty and bilateral friendship pacts. Hemade clear that Bucharest will not alter its independent stance in Pact affairs.

The Romanians are preparingeeting of the Pact's Political Consultative Committee, which will be held in Bucharest for the first time in ten years. Ceausescu's remarks seem intended to allay doubts of Romania's allies about Bucharest's reliability.

Such professions of fealty are rare but not new. Ceausescu played on the same themes last June, although he was somewhat less explicit. This time, he declared that Romania would fulfill itsobligations "adequately" in the event its allies were attacked. In trying to take the sting out of his repeated calls for the rapid anddissolution of NATO and the Warsaw Pact, Ceausescu said that, even when the military blocs dissolve, Romania, "will have to" keep collaborating with the armies of the "socialist" states.

His speech, however, returned several times to the idea that the Romanian array's primary role is the defense of the homeland against any invader. Ceausescu vowed that Romania would fight-only to preserve its independence and sovereignty, and warned that the whole Romanian people support the military in ensuring that their land does not fall prey to any "policy of strength."

Ceausescu also pledged to continue developing cooperation with the armed forces of "other and friendlycommunist China, the developing countries, and the West. Bucharest frequently exchanges military delegations

October 5, 6

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with states outside the Warsaw Pact in an effort to bolster its independentractice thatMoscow. Defense Minister Coman recentlyfrom Austria, and reportedly ol#ns to visit Mexico and Greece sometime soon. ( ^tji^NTlAL)

October 5,6

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Bronze Bust of Suslov Unveiled

Senior party secretary and ideologist Mikhail Suslov is the latest Kremlin leader to be honored by the unveilingronze bust in his birthplace. Accordingass announcement of Octoberhe ceremony was held in the village of Shakhovskoye in Ulyanovsk Oblast, RSFSR. Soviet regulations now specify that an individual who is "twicethat ia, has beon awarded two "Hero of Socialist Labor" decorations, two "Hero of the Soviet Union" decorations, or one ofentitled toust erected.

Suslov is the third senior leader whose bust has been unveiled this year. General Secretary Brezhnev (one of each "Hero") led offust unveiled onn Dneprodzerzhinsk, Dnepropetrovsk Oblast, in the Ukraine. President Podgorny (twice Hero of Socialist Labor) followed last monthust in Karlovka, Poltava Oblast, also in the Ukraine. Presumably still to come are Premier Kosygin (twice Hero of Socialist Labor,4nd party secretary Kirilcnko (twice Hero of Socialist6 and. (UNCLASSIFIED)

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Original document.

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