Cable to the CCPCC International Liaison Department and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 'Reactions of Albanian Newspapers to Our Nuclear Bomb Test and Khrushchev’s Removal'

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Reactions of Albanian Newspapers to Our Nuclear Bomb Test and Khrushchev’s Removal

CCPCC International Liaison Department and Ministry of Foreign Affairs,

The following are the reactions of the Albanian newspapers to Khrushchev’s removal and our nuclear bomb test:

1. On the 16th, the two major Albanian state newspapers reported on Khrushchev’s removal on their front pages under the banner headline “Khrushchev Dismissed from the Presidium of the Central Committee of the Soviet Communist Party and Removed from the Positions of First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Soviet Communist Party and Chairman of the Council of Ministers of USSR”, along with the publication of the Communiqué of the Central Committee Plenum of the Soviet Communist Party. The tone of these reports was not consistent with the headline, but so far no comments have been made with regard to the event.

2. On the 17th, the same two newspapers published the Communiqué released by the Xinhua News Agency and our government statement. Solidarity added the line “A Glorious Victory for the Chinese People” in the headline alongside the proper title “Communiqué” and added the line “At No Time and Under No Circumstances Will China Be the First to Use Nuclear Weapons” in the headline alongside the proper title “Statement” and ran an editorial on the event. On the 18th, both Zëri i Popullit (Voice of the People) and Soldiers ran an editorial on the event and Solidarity further commented on it in its “Weekly Review” section. All three of the above newspapers published the congratulatory telegram sent by the Albanian Party and government leadership to our leadership.

The gist of the above editorials and comments is as follows: (1) The success of the nuclear test is a glorious victory for the Chinese people in their continuous effort to strengthen the national defense of their socialist motherland, a glorious victory for the people of all socialism-building countries and the world over, and a tremendous contribution made by the Chinese people to the safeguarding of world peace. In delivering a heavy blow at the imperialist United States and its lackeys, the success of China’s nuclear test lends firm support to those oppressed nations and people in their struggle for liberation. The success of the nuclear test further serves as evidence to the rightness of the CCP’s leadership led by Chairman Mao, as well as the capability and genius of the Chinese scientists and the entire body of the Chinese working people. (2) The purpose of China’s nuclear test is to strengthen its national defense, safeguard peace, shatter the possibility that the imperialists could use nuclear weapons to blackmail the people around the world, and pave way for nuclear disarmament. (3) Exposing the Tripartite Treaty as a big fraud meant to deceive the people around the world and criticizing the imperialist United States’ continuation of nuclear tests. (4) Expressing the Albanian government’s support for the October 16th statement of the Chinese government.

[Chinese] Embassy in Albania

18 October 1954