Another rung for K.G.B. boss

Press, 26 November 1982, Page 8

Another rung for K.G.B. boss

NZPA-Reuter Moscow The new Soviet Communist Party Politburo member, Geidar Aliyev, has been appointed Soviet First Deputy Prime Minister in a move apparently foreshadowing eventual promotion to Prime Minister. Mr Aliyev, aged 59, the party chief in Soviet Azerbaijan, was elected to the post yesterday at the end of a two-day session of the Supreme Soviet (Parliament). His surprise election came on the heels of his promotion to the 12-man party Politburo, and it was clear that his fast-rising fortunes had been approved by the new i party chief, Yuri Andropov. But the Parliamentary session closed without a decision on who should fill the vacant post of State President left by the late Leonid Brezhnev — a post which Mr Andropov has widely been expected to assume after his election to the Supreme Soviet’s 40-member Presidium on Tuesday. Diplomats said that the ‘ way was still clear for Mr Andropov to assume the

Presidency later, possibly when he. had further consolidated his power within the party.

Meanwhile, the First Deputy President, Mr Vasily Kuznetsov, aged 81, will carry out the Presidential duties. ■

Mr Aliyev joins Ivan Arkhipov, aged 75,- in the post of First Deputy Prime Minister, but in effect outranks him since the latter is not a member of the Politburo. Western diplomats said that Mr Aliyev was clearly being groomed to succeed Mr Nikolai Tikhonov, hdw aged 77 as Prime Minister.

The K.G.8., normally a shadowy institution which avoids publicity at home, was also thrust into the spotlight yesterday when its chairman, Mr Vitaly Fedorchuk, in his first public speech since taking office in May, accused the West of waging “all-out espionage” and subversion against the Soviet Union.

He presented a draft law aimed at tightening security along Soviet State frontiers where around 300,000 K.G.B. troops are stationed.