THE CURRENT STATE OF SINO-SOVIET RELATIONS (SR IM (SS) 72)

Created: 1/13/1972

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CIA HISTORICAL REVIEW PROGRAM directorate of ] RELEASE AS SANITIZED

Intelligence Memorandum

The Current State of Sino-Soviet Relations

Secret

o.R IM (SS)

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CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY Directorate of Intelligence2

INTELLIGENCE MEMORANDUM

The Current State of Sino-Soviet Relations

China's New Year Editorial Knocks Soviets

Soviet revisionist social-imperialism is grabbing out everywhere under all sorts of covers* While oppreeeing the people of different nationalitiee in the Soviet Union itself, the Brezhnev renegade clique iaita utmoet to oontfol and exploit the people of the other countries in itaand aorking feveriahly to expand its apheree of influence all over the world. Thua it ia putting more and more nooses round its ownll thie haa further exposed ita social-imperialist features before the people of the world, eubjecting it to their fierceand landed itore and more ieolated position. ew Year's Day editorial by the People 's Daily, the Red Flag and the Liberation Army Daily.)

1. The adjournment of the Unitedh General Assembly last month removed an important podium for the face-to-face confrontations which had raised Sino-Soviet polemics to the mostlevel in over two yoars. It is clear, however, that neither Peking nor Moscow intends to let the invective subside.

Note: Thie memorandum, theh eries ofreports on Sino-Soviet relations, wasby the Office of Current Intelligence and the Office of Strategic Research and was coordinated within the Directorate of Intelligence.

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Peking's joint editorial statements on the international situation on New Year's Daypraised the enhanced position China had achieved during the past year. In contrast to1 editorial which had soft-pedaled criticism of the Soviet leadership,2 editorial hotlythe Soviet leadership, assailing therenegade clique" for oppressing its people and attempting to extend its influence throughout the world. It raised many of the charges tossed out by Chinese delegates in the United Nations,Moscow of colluding with the US in "nuclearndermining the case of the Palestinian and Arab peoples, subverting other countries, and "above all, shamelessly and flagrantly supporting thereactionaries' armed aggression against It also reiterated Peking's claim that the Soviets sold out East German interests inon the Berlin issue and that they have threatened the Balkans. Last year's editorialdenounced "Nixon's reactionaryut this year's remarks about the US were relatively low key.

These same accusations against the USSR were repeated in early January by the Chinesein Afghanistan. He told his Yugoslavthat Moscow's South Asian policy had brought Sino-Soviet relations to their lowest depths. The ambassador added that "fortunately the USSR actions have left the Peking-Washington dialogue undisturbed" and expressed pleasure that neither Chinese norhad "succumbed to the temptations thecould have provided."

Soviets Also Sustain High Polemical Level

Soviet Party Central Committee'sin November to intensify efforts toChina's "attempts to encroach on theof the USSR" hasteadyanti-Chinese material from Soviet pressespast two weeks, much of it critical of thesituation in China. One notable item wasDecember article in the party paper Soviet Itamphlet entitled "Problems

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of Sine-American Relations" that allegedly appeared briefly in Peking last September and claimed the pamphlet said that the announcement of theforthcoming visit to Peking provoked bitter disputes in China. According to the article, the pamphlet said that "comrades following Marxist-Leninist theory" opposed the visit as "aright-wing deviation" but were opposed by Mao and Chou En-lai.

is, in fact, no reason to thinkpamphlet originated on the mainland. chances are good that itoviet The themes fit neatly with Moscow'sto portray China as badly divided overtrip. In addition to*attempting to stirin China, Moscow apparently hopeslike this will contribute to an imagein Peking that, might damage Chineseto expand its international ties.

Moscow Seeks to Score Points Over Indochina

The speed and vehemence of the Sovietto the US bombing attacks on North Vietnam indicate that Moscow was as anxious to maximizeembarrassment over the raids on the eve of President Nixon's visit as it was to strengthen the Soviet position in Hanoi. Moscow bestedForeign Ministry statement on the raids byovernment statement declaring the USSR's "most serious" view of the attacks. It underscored this declaration by announcing the signature of yet another supplemental aid agreement with North

Soviet propagandists sought to heighten Hanoi's suspicions of its Chinese ally by stressing that Peking's mild reaction to the attacks wasto avoid aggravating Sino-US relations just before the President's visit. As in their criticism of China's position on the Indo-Pakistani conflict, the Soviets also clearly hoped to discredit Peking's credentialsupporter of "national liberation movements." One writer in the military paper Red Star wrote that Chou En-lai "could have stopped"

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these raids" merely by hinting that they wouldthe visit of "his new-found friend in the White House." Another commentary linked the timing of the attacks to the visit of Brigadier General Haig's party to Peking.

On Again, Off Again Talks

ecember, Soviet Embassywhoember of Moscow'sthe Peking talks, confirmed that thesein recess, ostensibly because the illnessnegotiator Vice Foreign Minister Ilichev. that Ilichev would return to continuein Peking, but professed not toanuary,oviet Foreignspecialist stated that the talks wereat the "deputy level" in Ilichev'sadded that the annual SJno-Soviet BorderTalks had opened, probably in atown, in December.

Moscow Reports ir.ir; ik-jc Off Intruders at Border Pass

Soviet Foreign Ministry officerthat the border itself was quiet. Butday Komsomolskaya Pravda printedorder violation in anarea by herdsmen whose nationalityspecified. Accordingeuter's report,described how Soviet border guardsdifficult mountainous terrain tofoot pass.

only Soviet frontier territorydescription is along its border with Chinato Mongolia. Parts of this areaunder dispute between Moscow and Peking, and

in past years there have been occasional reports of border violations by Chinese herdsmen. It is not clear whether the article is meant tourn for the worse in the border dispute. There has been no indication of significant incidents along the

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frontier, and the absence of specific references to China in theany indication that an armed conflict tookthat the item was not meant toeterioration of the It may be that Moscow merely wanted toPeking of the prowess of its border guards. Peking has from time to time printed similar items.

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