Communists seek places in Govt

Press, 24 June 1981, Page 8

Communists seek places in Govt

NZPA-Reuter Paris France's Communists, rebuffed by voters in presidential and parliamentary elections, yesterday argued with the victorious Socialists that they deserved to be included in the Cabinet.

The two sides talked until the early hours, then drew up a political document to be submitted to each party's main committee later in the dav. ‘

After eight hours of talks, described by one Socialist participant, as “frank and animated," the Socialist Party's first secretary (Mr Lionel Jospin) announced that the document had been drawn up. He did not say what it contained or whether it would lead to the inclusion of Communists in the Government.

Charles Fiterman, ranked second in the Communist Party heirarchy, told reporters: “We have discussed the terms of a political

agreement tor government. The result of our work will be submitted to the complete leaderships of our parties in the morning." Delegates looked tired and tense, as they emerged from the negotiations that followed the Socialists’ election victory at the week-end They and their allies of the Centre-Left Radical Party. M.R.G., took 285 of the 49> seats in the National Assembly. giving them an absolute majority.

They will not have to rely on Communist support to pass any legislation sought by Presdient Mitterrand. But Mr Mitterrand has made clear he hoped to include Communists in the Government. Many commentators believe his aim is to prevent the Communist-led C.G.T., France's main tradesunion. group, from opposing Government policy. Communist representation in Parliament was cut from 86 to 44. but the party said it deserved to join the Govern-

ment because it helped the Left win the presidency. Mr Mitterrand is aware of the impact in France and abroad of Communists joining a major Western Government. . .

His conditions for particioation appear hard for the pro-Moscow French Communists to meet.

The overnight negotiations were widely believed to centre on known Socialist demands that the Communists align their foreign policies with the views of Mr Mitterrand on Afghanistan and Poland and the stationing of Soviet SS2O missiles in Eastern Europe. The two sides also have differences over the number of enterprises to be nationalised by the new Government.

Political analysts expect few major changes in the government to be annonced by the Prime Minister (Mr Pierre Maurov). But it might be smaller than the present 42-Minister Cabinet.