REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ON ALLEGED MAY SPEECH BY BREZHNEV (S-6856)

Created: 4/10/1975

OCR scan of the original document, errors are possible

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RELEASE AS SAmam " 5 8

MEMORANDUM FORI

SA/ER

Request for Information on

Alleged May Speech by Brezhnev

A review of OER, OCI, and FBIS files failed toany speech by Brezhnev in Wethat the attached materials will providebackground information requested

problems experienced by the Soviets in putting technological innovations to effective economic use as well as information on the internalf the natter.

Attachments: Comments on Implementing Technological

Innovations in the Soviet Economy Brezhnev'sl Speech,lection SoeRCh.un 74

Continents on Implementing Technological Innovations in the Soviet Economy

To the best of our knowledge, there is no public record of any speech by Brezhnev duringrezhnev did address the Komsomol in4 and the electors of Moscow's Bauman constituency inhese speeches (see FBIS, Soviet Union, Paily Report,ndid not, however, go into the problems experienced by the Soviets in putting technological innovations to effective economic use, as reportedly suggested by Arbatov and Gvishiani. Kor the most port, Brezhnev's speech to the Komsomol complimented the members for their' past contributions and urged then on to even greater achievements. In the area of science and technology, Brezhnev cited the continuing need for vocational training and the need for expanding vocational training schoolsnd In his electoral speech, Brezhnev spoke of the past successful implementation of science and technology in agricultureara. nd in the consumer goods industry He made the point that "the party sees scientific and technological progress as the pivot of its whole economic policy" ut did not go much beyond calling for increased labor productivity to be effected through the acquisition of "more productive machinery, new automatic lines, powerful tractors, combines, and other agricultural equipment, and the most up-to-date equipment." The closest Brezhnev came to discussing the problem of implementing technological innovations was when he spoke of tho need to examine the "legal controls over economichat tend to "stifle initiative and contradict the new requirements now demanded by economics" In short, Brezhnev is calling for the upgrading of nanagenent.

Recent OER publications on technology transfer tomay provide the necessary backgroundthe internal politics op *" refer you to an excerptfhe Soviet

Attempt to Improve,rieff the problems in the Soviet RiD

.'ransfer of Technology from the United Statot. to the

and Prospects,,

for an account of the problems inby the Soviets; and

Impact of Technological Transfer on "the USSR. sec-tlolTlv,iscussion on the internal politics of the matter.

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Original document.

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