SOVIET UNION - EASTERN EUROPE

Created: 10/2/1976

OCR scan of the original document, errors are possible

Confidential

Soviet Union-Eastern Europe

Conf^Iential

con fI

SOVIETASTERN EUROPE

This publication it prepared lor regional specialists in tho Washingtonby theastern Europe Division. Oftico ot Current Intel-ligence. with occasional contributions from other olfices within Ihe Directorate of Intelligence. Comments and queries are welcome. They should be directed to the authors of the individual articles.

CONTENTS

october6

ussr-china: new conciliatory gestures. .

ew arms agreement?

soviet comment on us election

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campaign,tober 1

CONFJjMsfo'IAL

USSR-China: New Conciliatory Gestures

China's rejection of the Soviet party's message of condolences last month has not deterred the USSR from continuing toonciliatory approach toward Peking. Yesterday Moscow used the occasion of China's national day to send two additionalto the Chinese leadership:

Soviet government's message of

greetings to China emphasized that the "normalization* of theirwould serve those "interested in the building of socialism and

article in Pravda stressed that the USSR is "prepared to normalize relations."

greetings to the Chinese on theirhaveraditional event, but the reference to serving the interests of thosesocialism and communism is somewhat warmer than usual. Similarly, the article in Pravda does not harp on Sino-Soviet differences, but instead points out that there are "no problems" that cannot be solved given the "mutual desireake into account each other's interest."

These signals are in line with previous Soviet moves. In addition to the condolencefirst public message from the Soviet party in tenUSSR has tailored its media treatment of China to appeal to those Chinese leaders who may favor some normalization in state relations. During his speech in the UN on Tuesday, Foreign Minister Gromyko also pointed to Moscow's readiness to "normalize" relations.

The USSR thus continues toase that it is working for improved relations, while the

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Chinese continue to be intractable. The gestures may alsoesire by General Secretary Bre nev not to leave himself open to the charge made against Nikita Khrushchev in thef pursuing an unnecessarily militant policy toward China.

October 2,6

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CONFIlfeNTIAI.

CONFiq/sJTIAL

USSR-Uganda:ew Arms Agreement?

The USSR has evidentlyew armswith Uganda which may provide for theof theighters destroyed during the Israeli commando raid on Entebbe Airport in early July.

According to Western and Ugandan pressoviet delegation headed by General Nikolayev signed an arms agreement in Kampala on No details are available, but Ugandan President Amin hailed the agreement as "effective and timely."

Amin has made no secret of his desire to obtain replacement aircraft from the USSR, which provided Uganda's firstighters Following one of several meetings between Amin and the Soviet charge in Kampala after the Entebbe episode, the Ugandan media reported that matters of mutualwere discussed, "especially re-equipping and reinforcing the power of the Ugandan Armed Forces." Present at tha final meeting of thedelegation with Amin were the Ugandan defense minister and several members of the Ugandan air force fighter squadron.

October 2, 6

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CONFIUEN11AI.

AL

Soviet Comment on US Election Campaign,Qctober 1

CPSU General Secretary Brezhnev's firstreported remarks on the US election campaign were contained in Soviet accounts of his meeting with Averell Harriman in Moscow onass dispatch carried in Pravda ond quoted the former US Ambassador to Moscow as reporting that Brezhnev was "fully informed" about the campaign and that he was unhappy about anti-Soviet and antidetente statements by the candidates. Brezhnev added,according to the Tass report, that he was "prepared to cooperate in the further improvement of US-Soviet relations" with whichever candidate wins in November. The closest Brezhnev had previously comeirect comment on the campaign was ain his Junepeech in* East Berlin that some "figures in prominent positions" in the West were "grossly distorting" Soviet policy.

Brezhnev's attitude of disapproval mixed with realism has been typical of Soviet reporting and commentary on the campaigning by President Ford and Governor Carter since the nominating conventions. Soviet media have been careful to take an evenhanded approach to the two candidates, with Soviet observers, claiming to see "no fundamental difference" between them. Both candidates have been assessed asa further improvement in US-Soviet relations and greater restrictions on strategic arms--and both have been criticized for inconsistency in their statements on foreign and defense policy. In recent days, for instance, Soviet commentaries haveboth candidates forhigh level of military spending" and for publishing messages of "concern" over the position of Soviet Jews.

Soviet media have portrayed the presidential contest as increasingly close. Noting thatFord was continuing to cut into the sizable lead in public opinion polls which Carter had earlier

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a Moscow domestic radio panel discussion of the campaign on Septemberoncluded that an "acute struggle is in the offing."

Soviet mediaenerally skeptical attitude toward the televised debate between the two candidates ond. Tass said the debate was designed to stir up interestenerally apatheticbut that it made "no greatravda onh quoted Walter Cronkite as observing that the head-to-head contest elicited "no newno new solutions." jJfiMttJPEHXJAU

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