FRENCH ADMIT FIRING ON SOVIET PLANE

Press, Volume C, Issue 29436, 11 February 1961, Page 13

FRENCH ADMIT FIRING ON SOVIET PLANE

President Was Aboard; Moscow Protests (Rec. 1030 p.m.) ALGIERS, February 10. A French Government spokesman admitted last night that a F.rench Air. Force jet had intercepted the Ilyushin-18 airliner carrying the Soviet President, Mr Leonid Brezhnev, yesterday and fired warning shots at it. The Russian plane had crossed the French “zone of responsibility” near Algeria, he said.

Russia has made a strong protest to France at the “piratical attack, which could have caused a serious disaster,” and demanded the punishment of those guilty. The airliner was taking the Soviet President to Rabat, Morocco, for a two-day visit. Russia said the attack occurred 80 miles from Algiers. The French Armed Forces Ministry has asked the Algerian High Command for a full report after the Soviet protest was delivered to the French Charge d’Affaires in Moscow.

In Algiers, the French spokesman said the shots had been only warning shots, and that the French planes fired them only when the Soviet craft failed, or refused, to reply to a radio summons, American Associated Press reported. The spokesman said the French had no advance notice of the flight

President Brezhnev later landed safely in Rabat on his way from Moscow for an official visit to the West African State of Guinea. He plans to remain in Rabat until tomorrow morning

His plane did not appear to be damaged and members of his party failed to mention the incident to waiting reporters. One official described the flight as “uneventful,” but later acknowledged that the President’s plane had been “attacked” and "buzzed” by the French plane while it was over the Mediterranean. Soviet Protest

In his protest to France, the Soviet Foreign Minister. Mr Andrei Gromyko, said the attack occurred in the air space over international waters of the Mediterranean about 130 kilometres (80 miles) north of Algiers.

“When the aircraft was at a height of about 27,000 feet there suddenly appeared a two-engined jet fighter with French identification marks

which made three approaches at a dangerously close distance from the aircraft. "During the approaches, the fighter twice opened fire on the aircraft, following this up by criss-crossing the path of the aircraft. “Banditry” “Such most unusual actions by the French military aircraft against the aircraft of the Soviet civilian aviation could have provoked a serious disaster. “These actions cannot be considered otherwise than as acts of international banditry committed by the armed forces of France,” Mr Gromyko said. “The grossly provocative character of the actions by the French fighter becomes even more evident if account is taken that not long before the appearance of the fighter, the Soviet aircraft established radio communication with the Algiers airport. “Thus the French authorities knew exactly the whereabouts of the Soviet aircraft, which was proceeding on a course known beforehand to the French Government. “In connexion with this piratical attack, the Soviet Government presents a vigorous protest to the French Government, on which lies the full blame for the actions of the French armed forces. “The Soviet Government demands the punishment of those guilty and measures for the prevention of such incidents

in the future, and that it be informed about the results,” Mr Gromyko said. A French spokesman said today that the Ilyushin was picked up by radar “in the French zone of responsibility” north of Algiers. As there was no “international flight plan” for the plane, three jet fighters went after it and warning shots were fired. The Soviet plane did not reply on the international radio channel reserved for such purposes and turned northwards outside the French area.

The spokesman said this was the second time in eight days that a Soviet plane had appeared in this general area without previous notice. He said Soviet pilots seem to be unaware of thg flight rules and regulations employed ip the West. Eight days ago, a Soviet plane had similarly crossed the French “zone of responsibility” without having filed an international flight plan. The first time the Soviet plane was not “buzzed” and there was no incident. The official did not give any details. He did not explain what was meant by “zone of responsibility.” French military sources in Algiers said that as far as they knew the President’s plane had not been hit by any of the shots. They reiterated that these had only been warning shots.