THE entire Soviet politburo unanimously re-elected to power at the 26th Communist Party congress in Moscow. for the politics of the Soviet leaders: preservation at all costs of the status quo.
The average age of the politburo members is 69. Chief ideologist Suslov is 78 and the new premier Tikhonov bureaucrats fear above all any challenge to their rule throughout the Soviet bloc. crisis in Poland therefore dominated the congress.
The Soviet leaders emphasised that the present course of events in Poland was unacceptable. Other delegates were wheeled out to press home the point. Even Fidel Castro put the crisis down destabilise Poland' Polish party leader argued differently. 'problems' in Poland arose from 'breaches in socialist legality' by the Gierek and Gomulka regimes, which had alienated large sections of the population including many rarty members The Soviet leaders would dearly love the Polish problem to go away. In the meantime they are exerting the maximum pressure on the Polish CP to roll back the gains made by the Polish workers.
was That's a fitting symbol 75. These ageing The 'Western attempts to Stanislaw Kania claimed MUSI Communist the events Another problem discussed at the congress was the upsurge of revolution in Central America, and the increasing cold war stance of the Reagan regime in the USA. The Soviet regime remains wedded to existence, and it seems likely that they severely miscalculateed Western reaction to their in vastion of Afghanistan.
Brezhnev used the congress to take a bold initiative to put the West on the defensive over Cruise missiles, by proposing a freeze on the stationing of medium Europe, and a reciprocal freezing of the construction of nuclear submarines. posal is a positive one, which can only serve to undermine the cold-war hysteria in the West.
The place of Fidel Casto as one of the Not underlined the fact that Reagan's cold war threats it is impossible for Soviet Union to abandon Cuba. Salvador however is a very different matter.
All the noises coming out of Moscow have denied any connection with the evereaucrats, an American intervention in el Salvador:
Salvador would no more interfere with the peaceful CO bureaucratically range missiles in This prothe Congress the in the face of debates, EI file party Gdansk Coll which has the Zbigniew in his ex CP leader OlIt of Len Murgovernment offensive for aid for the been won the support of Tony Eric six other Labour MPs, as Britain vell a Bernard Dix Ron Keating of NUPE Details movement.
Brezhnev For information future souaarily tivities contact:
Europe paign, London NWII. process of trying to reconstruct detente than the Vietnam war did in the '60s and '70s.
Soviet premier Tikhonov reported to the congress on the relative stagnation of the economy. A combination of increasing rav material prices, increased arms expenditure to meet the Western threat, and the inertia of a centralised economy, posing severe difficulties in raising the standard of living of the people.
The response of Tikhonov was to urge Soviet workers to 'work harder and work better'. In the Soviet Union, where all independent initiative is stifled, such a call is hardly likelv to meet with resuits The deadening hand of tight control by bureaucracy permeated mosphere of the congress itself; no real no counter-reports, unanimity in 5000 delegates preciative but uncritical audience.
Despite the smooth running of the congress, the workers of Poland and El Salvador, and eventually the Soviet Union, are unlikely to let the Soviet leaders continue to live where most of them belong - in the past.
Socialist Chattense/Revolution Heffer PUBLIC MEETING and Don't Die for hatcher and Reagan US hands off on Wednesday Station Hotel, Eastern Sheffield 3 Solidarity CamPark Drive, are une wole ale apUnder the shadow of Soviet tanks the Polish workers discuss the new 18 March at Wicker. No change in the Soviet politburo - the ageing bureaucrats crave the status quo US Hands off DEMONSTRATE Sat 4 April OXFORD 2.30 p.m. The Plains through city centre EDINBURGH 10.30 a.m. Kings Stable Rd to US Consulate