ALLEGED ESPIONAGE IN BULGARIA

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25736, 23 February 1949, Page 5

ALLEGED ESPIONAGE IN BULGARIA

COMMENT BY BRITISH FOREIGN OFFICE LONDON, February 21. A Foreign Office spokesman to-day described as false the statement which the Bulgarian authorities attribute to, the Rev. Vassil Ziapkov, one of the 15 Bulgarian Nonconformist church leaders charged with espionage, that he acted as a spy for Britain. The spokesman added that a report from the British Legation in Sofia said that an investigation into charges of improper communication between Mr Ziapkov and members of the British Legation had proved them baseless. The charges seemed to be a further step in an. attempt to isolate members of British missions in the Iron Curtain countries from the people of those countries. The British Minister of State (Mr Hector McNeil,' told the House of Commons to-day that Britain has asked for special representation at the trial of the 15 Bulgarian pastors. He added that on February 13 Britain had asked Bulgaria on what , charges these men were being detained, and when they were to be released or tried. Bulgaria had sent no reply.