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PASTOR GENERAL'S REPORT, SEPTEMBER 7, 1984
None of this•••in any way presages any decay in Communist control
over Eastern Europe or any weakening of Soviet hegemony over its
European sphere of influence. But it does seem to reveal that
the Soviet Union, for the first time, is encounterin c:f unexpected
Tiiiiits 1n 1ts powert�d1ctate
-ro
it:s allies.
E itorials in
Pravda and Izvestia are no longer�ead with trembling hands•.•.
And then, on its Far Eastern frontiers there is China, moderniz
ing for a major economic breakthrough, while improving its rela
tions with London, Washington, Tokyo and other capitals around
the world. Meanwhile Moscow sits and faces another poor grain
harvest. If Moscow sulks, it expects its allies to sulk--but
this time things seem to be different.
Meanwhile, look where Franz Josef Strauss, a key figure in inter-German af
fairs, has been lately (he travels quite frequently). Here is a report from
the August 22 CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR:
An unexpected visit to Albania by West German politician Franz
Josef Strauss has produced a significant meeting with one of the
country's top leaders. The meeting Monday between Mr. Strauss
and Albanian Deputy Premier Manush Myftiu confirmed speculation
that the West German's surprise presence in Albania, disclosed
over the weekend, was for something more than sightseeing.
Albania's interest in Strauss, and the possibility that his visit
might help to renew relations with Bonn, is the strongest pointer
yet to an apparent new turn in Albanian foreign policy away from
isolationism. Strauss is the first prominent West European poli
tician to visit Albania since World War II•..• The Bavarian con
servative fancies himself to be an unofficial trouble-shooter in
matters of Bonn's Ostpolitik..•• The Albanians are aware of the
role Strauss has played in West German relations with Romania and
East Germany, two Communist states within the Soviet bloc.
Many people were surprised when Strauss, an anti-Communist hard-liner, per
sonally delivered the first of two sizable government bank loans from the
Federal Republic to East Germany. Even some of his own right-wing support
ers in Bavaria were shocked and angered. Said Strauss at the time, justify
ing his actions: "I can switch corners faster than your eye can follow."
Canada to the Right, New Zealand to the Left, and
Britain's Labour Party--Way, Way, Way Left
Voting returns after Canada's September 4 federal elections confirmed what
the polls had been predicting--and even more so: A dramatic landslide vic
tory for Progressive Conservative candidate Brian Mulroney (pronounced Mul
ROO-ney).
Early returns showed that the Tories, as they are popularly
called, picked up 211 of the 282 seats in Parliament. The Conservatives won
50% of the popular vote to 28% for the Liberal Party of Prime Minister John
Turner and 18% for the leftist New Democratic Party led by Ed Broadbent.
The Liberals were even buried in Quebec, their traditional stronghold.
The Prime Minister Elect said he would propose policies to combat Canada's
11.2% unemployment and punishing interest rates and strengthen the Canadian