On 20 February sevea people entered the Britsh Embassy to hand in u letter, the contents of which the Ambassador refuses were Raul Rendon. Neill Rivera de Marchand, and thelr reaching three children aged six, four MARK Plascenia, and Daniel Colos •ECUTE ALLESE ports.
After they were handed over to the police Acosta was held in a stale security prison and the other three adults in military The reusees for their choice unclear. One suggestion is that are closely H WNS OCCAESE TOE OUICES OI Amnesty International are in has Anther is that top Foreign particulariy Office officials were in Lima for discussions with Argenting over the Faliclund Islands. This would he a way af drawing attention CUISI the hunger Since they counted Iwa Factions. willwut the culiousness of the FACTION THERE will soon be a hid to remove Gustav Husak from his position as First Secretary of the Czechoslovak Communist Party, according to reports just the West.
JACKSON reHusak, who had supported the liberalisation that led to the Prague Spring in 1968. brought in to head thie party in April1969 because he would be more acceptable than any of the party leaders who were too identified the Soviet invasion forces, Over the last nine years he lost that credihility, acquiescence in the purge half'a million supporters of the Prague Spring from the Party and cheir jobs, and in the trials of political oppositionists. He is reported to bealcoholic.
1970 -the party leadership has been split into •The issues in dispute are what to do abour the opposition and whether to bring back soite of the expelled ball mulion, who inclade many of the country's best administrators and technicians, One faction, headed by Vasil BENUL. SISY concessions on the grounds that Czecboslovakia bas never been properly normalised.
The population would nor C SICE see the concessions as proof of the party's henevolence, bust as the a sign that the party leadership was in retreat. The Pandora's box of demands raised in 1968 would then reappesr.
ALLU This LUBOMIR STROUGAL The other faction, headed by SUITES isolate the hard core opposition Ww making muiDr concessions to those expelled, who form a large laver of malcontents on which the opposition can hase itself.
This group also favours a modification of che rigidiy centralised planning system.
Strougal is able to usc the Croch burcaucrats" discontent at the gains of their Slovak counterparts Husak NovAk and Hilak a Ekranian Fram Slovakia. The Bilak Taction has so far kepi a slicht edee over its opponents. DUBCEK The relationship between TT HUTSe BOuCD SE one hand this creates a pressure TOE BEEs B COG SCaUcabEP, DE the principie of hang topether nans separately On the other hund there is a feeling that something has to be done That the party needs a new direction.
Bur the natural beneliciary ofthe second pressure would be nesther Bilak not Strougal, but Alexander Dubcek, the party's . DIrine Prasie Spring. Sa the ADTESTE IS IKO LO DIEPSL. L least in the short lerm.
Ene ArealEn bureaucrats wil be thinking alone similar lines Mosco has had some contact with the Duhcekiles, evidently contemplating W-TERE initiative. But they have always drawn back from any move that might upsei the shuky equilibrium in Crechoslovakia.
Thus a compromise candi date must be found. Sull. the URLSIL ASIELDE bave decided to throw Husak to the Jous wall be taken as a sign that pressure on the party Teadership is causing problems. SCAPEGOAT The cconomic situation is gelling to the point wbere it threatens an attack on living SLALILHTLS wOICh nave Fs stadily since 1970 and have CEELO] maintaiaing stability. Husak WH De a segaeocet for Uui problem ns well as for the party's boching of the Charte T7 issie.
But the compromise candidate will be in no stranger position and will bave just as Little trust-from the masser will ony sharpen the problema that Husak's replacement would be designed to Then Mascow will mare senousiy consider the need ln bring back some Dubcekites *ai lhe ONTDOETS LaH would pose for the present party leaderslip.