Dashnor Kaloçi
The fifth part
Memorie.al publishes some archival documents with the logo ‘Top secret’ issued by the Central State Archive in Tirana (fund of the former Central Committee of the ALP) where are the minutes of the meetings of the senior party and state delegation of the Republic People’s Party of Albania, headed by the Minister of National Defense, Beqir Balluku, with the high delegation of the People’s Republic of China, headed by the chairman of the military commission at the Politburo of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, Ye Chen Ji, where discussed military issues, as well as the delegation led by the Minister of Trade, Kiço Ngjela, with the Chinese delegation led by the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the People’s Republic of China, Chu En Lai, where economic problems were discussed, as Albania there was an urgent need for cereals, but the Chinese government could not help them, as a result of the drought, they could not carry out their plans and were buying nin wheat that the French had imported from the Americans! Unknown documents published for the first time with the full minutes of the two meetings held in Beijing on November 7, 1972, where the Albanian military delegation led by the Minister of National Defense, Beqir Balluku (where they took all directors of directorates and chiefs of different types of weapons of the Albanian army), it was requested that the Chinese government assist the Albanian army, with weapons of all types, starting from: light infantry weapons (rifles), artillery anti-aircraft, land and coastal, tanks, armored vehicles, ships, torpedoes for naval combat fleet, chemical weapons, equipment and engineering materials, interconnection, radio location, vehicles, aircraft and helicopters, mechanical industry plants for tank repair and armored personnel carriers, ammunition and explosives, background material, etc., because according to Minister Balluku, the Albanian army was in a very difficult situation in terms of armaments, because it had World War II armaments, which had been brought by the Soviets since the ’50s.
Fund: CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE ALBANIAN LABOR PARTY
Relations with the Communist Party of China
Contents: THE FIRST MEETING OF THE RPSH MILITARY DELEGATION (CHAIRMAN BY BEQIR BALLUKU) WITH CHINESE FRIENDS OUR PEOPLE, AND OUR ARMIES. ON THE GEOGRAPHICAL POSITION OF ALBANIA WHERE THE INTERESTS OF NATO’S AGGRESSION PACTS AND THE WARSAW TREATY CROSS, THE CHOVINIST AND ANNEXIST GOALS OF THE STATES AROUND US. ON THE MEASURES TAKEN BY THE ALP, FOR THE DEFENSE OF THE COUNTRY AND THE SUBMISSION OF SOME REQUIREMENTS FOR STRENGTHENING THE DEFENSE.
THE FIRST PLENARY MEETING OF OUR DELEGATION WITH CHINESE FRIENDS, DATED 7.11.1972
Followed by the last number
Speech by the Minister of National Defense, Beqir Balluku, at the meeting with the Chinese delegation in Beijing, November 7, 1972
Currently the air reconnaissance system provides a mutual coverage coefficient of reconnaissance zones of 5-10 percent for small and medium altitudes. While with the measures we anticipate to take, we will have a 35-40 percent increase. In the direction of marine reconnaissance, today we have coverage of 15-20 percent of the water belt, while with the measures envisaged for the creation of new SOPs, as well as the duplication of the existing ones with two locators, we will have an increase of 40-50 percent and a coefficient of mutual coverage of detection areas, 25-30 percent.
In order to improve the detection, the possibilities of directing fighter aircraft, anti-aircraft artillery, coastal artillery, FLD, the amount of radio-locating means is required in proportion to their increase and opening, as well as an amount for completing the organics and replacing the technique of old Soviet production.
This technique has been in use since 1955 and 1957 and accounts for 60 percent of the total amount of which currently 17 percent is out of readiness, due to consumption and lack of spare parts. For chemical protection, auto tractors, and topography, we have a lot of gaps which are reflected in the list of requirements that will be presented to you.
Also for the further improvement of the material base of the education of the Armed Forces, and of the propaganda, the Political Directorate of our Army has made some predictions, which Comrade Hito Çako will consult with the comrades appointed by the General Political Directorate. of your army.
ON MECHANICAL INDUSTRY
The increase in the quantity and variety of armaments and combat equipment during the years 1961-1971, has highlighted the lack of bases for maintenance, repair, and production, especially of spare tools. This increase, as well as the longtime of their use, has created a great contradiction between the state of armament and combat equipment and the quantity and quality of the bases of repair and maintenance. The maintenance and repair of armaments and combat equipment in general is far from the requirements, not only in the technical-scientific sense of the issue, but also the military-economic one.
But more worrying is the fact that the military does not have the basis for the production of spare tools. So their provision has so far been made by the PRC of China to the extent that it has been possible for it to transport them over long distances and with considerable weight and volume. Depreciation of equipment and armaments, as well as the possibility of providing the necessary amount of spare parts, and the lack of repair and maintenance bases, have made the equipment and armament that we have, not in the proper technical readiness. So given the above factors we think these problems can be solved:
- Output
- For the production of spare tools
Ensuring the production of exchange tools in the country is a problem of special importance for us, which is directly related to the national and high-yield use of combat equipment and weapons in the field of combat. Therefore, in order to improve this situation, we plan to build a plant which will ensure the production of spare tools, mainly for the maintenance and repair of tanks and chain vehicles. As well as completing this plant with the necessary equipment and technical documentation and for the production of spare tools for aggregates and tractors and the construction of a foundry which can meet its own needs and other needs of the army.
- For the production of rechargeable batteries, and dry batteries
Combat techniques; use a very large amount of batteries, and dry, of various types. Based on the quantity and time of their use, it becomes necessary to build a factory for the production of 10,000 tons of battery batteries per year. For dry batteries, we have a factory with a capacity of 20,000 pieces (1,800,000 elements) per year which meets 10 percent of the needs. Therefore, it is necessary to further expand it with one or two new factories with modernized (mechanized) technological process.
- For the production of explosives.
As it is known, in our country there is a plant where we produce about 3,000 tons of ammonium per year, but the raw material (trityl) is provided by imports. But, considering that in the Deep Oil Processing Plant in Ballsh, in the future “toluol” will be produced as a basic material of tritol, we think that near the existing plant in Elbasan, a new line for the production of tritol will be established with an annual capacity of 1,500 tons. This measure will create full autonomy for the production of ammonites. In this plant we also plan to build a new line for the production of dynamite type 5-G for blasting in wet and underwater places, with a capacity of 1,000 tons per year.
FOR STRENGTHENING THE BASIS OF REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE OF MILITARY TECHNIQUE AND ARMATION.
- For tanks
With the help of R.P. of China in our country, a medium-sized capital repair plant of 65 pieces of tanks, and 10 pieces of traction towers per year which, meets 50 percent of the needs. But, covering the needs for repair and maintenance of tanks and chain vehicles, we think not to be solved by expanding the existing plant, but by strengthening the maintenance and repair bases of army units and units where we are currently, discovered.
- For vehicles
The technical condition of the vehicles is not at the right height. For vehicles, we currently need 1,400 capital and medium repairs per year, while the existing, semi-artisanal automobile plant can carry out about 500 repairs. But worse is the state of maintenance and repair in army units and wards. To meet these needs, we think to move in two directions:
- a) To carry out the reconstruction of the existing plant.
- b) To strengthen the base of maintenance and repair of vehicles, in the units and wards of the army by setting up 10 stationary workshops to carry out medium repairs and partially capital repairs.
Also, it is very necessary to complete the units and wards with universal portable wheelchairs.
- For armament
Based on the current state of armaments and the closed cycle of 7-8 years, the annual needs for repair are: For cannons 500 pieces and for infantry weapons about 50,000 pieces. Existing craftsmen carry out medium and capital repairs of 10,000 pieces of infantry weapons, and 130 pieces of cannons and various systems and calibers. So it meets only 20-25 percent of the needs. Given that armaments are massive and highly distributed, in order to increase the autonomy of repair in army units and units, we think that this problem can be solved in this way:
- a) To reconstruct and complete the existing plant, especially in the instrumental repair and other lines needed to carry out the repair of 200-250 pieces of cannons, while the repair of infantry weapons to be reduced to 7,000 pieces.
- b) To strengthen the armament repair wards in the corps workshops and to complete the workshops of the army wards, with stationary and mobile repair kits.
- For the navy
As is well known, for performing torpedo floor repairs with the help of R.P. of China, a good repair base equipped with all the necessary wards has been built, but we remain discovered to carry out medium and overhaul repairs of surface and submarine vessels. The technical condition of our ships is constantly deteriorating and most of them have not undergone any repairs since 1953-1955. Therefore, it is necessary to reconstruct and strengthen the existing repair base, to withstand 2 pieces of overhaul of submarines and this will serve as a basis for the repair of submarines.
For engineering, aggregates, radar, and interconnection and chemistry tools.
For the repair of engineering equipment and aggregates, in recent years we created a small base. But both this base and the existing radar, liaison, and chemistry workshops are very poor in machinery, equipment, and other apparatus. These workshops perform partial repairs in an artisanal manner, of poor quality and do not meet even 30-50 percent of our needs. So it is necessary to reconstruct these workshops, placing them on a sound technological footing, through their completion with lines, machinery, equipment, and technical documentation.
- For missiles
Missile combat equipment so far, not only cannot perform any kind of repair but also the simplest services. The lack of a repair base complicates the technical condition day by day and weakens the combat readiness of these weapons. To avoid this defect and the surprises that may come from it, it is necessary to set up a repair base. These are some of the main problems for the condition of military products, repair and maintenance of military equipment and armaments, as well as ways to strengthen the military industry in general.
BACKGROUND MATERIALS
As we said above, the international situation, the geographical position, and the siege of our country by the imperialist-revisionist states, require that we keep on alert, a relatively large army in relation to our population. This army that we maintain and train is absolutely necessary because there are serious dangers to our country from the enemies that surround us. This political conjecture that exists today can be broken so we must have the people prepared and armed to face dangerous enemies.
And we, against these enemies, will fight to victory without renewing material reserves because of the distance that our two countries share. So the existence and military organization of our country, at this level requires the creation of comprehensive reserves of materials for a long war because, currently and the total mobilization of our economic potential of the country in a situation of war, will not be able to meet the needs and requirements of war. Our people, the party, and the government, have made and will make every sacrifice for the maintenance of the army and for the provision of its materials. Memorie.al
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