Russian Not Keen On “Freedom” In Soviet

Press, Volume C, Issue 29643, 13 October 1961, Page 13

Russian Not Keen On “Freedom” In Soviet

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright)

AMSTERDAM, Oct. 12. Alexei Golub, aged 35, a Soviet biochemist who defected to the West this week, said he had planned originally to seek asylum in the United States Consulate in Amsterdam, but when he found it closed, went to Dutch police instead. There was absolutely no truth to Soviet charges that he was being held by Dutch police against his will, he told a press conference last evening, according to American Associated Press. “Everyone knows the Soviet methods of terrorism,” he said, saying that he preferred the Amsterdam police headquarters—“where I spent half of this day at an open window”—to “the freedom of over there” (i.e., the Soviet Union) Mr Golub was in a party of Soviet tourists when he decided to flee because there was no scientific freedom in Russia, he said. His wife, Ira. then became the centre of an international fracas at Schipol airport when she decided to return home without him. A fist fight broke out between Soviet Embassy officials—including the Soviet Ambassador, Mr P. Ponomarenko—and Dutch police, when the latter refused to hand over her passport. The Dutch officials had feared she was being returned to the Soviet Union against her will, but were finally convinced she wanted to board a plane for Moscow. In The Hague, a senior Government authority denied rumours that Holland would sever diplomatic ties with the Soviet Union over the airport incident.

He told reporters: “There is no question of breaking off diplomatic relations.” Asked whether the Government intended to declare any Soviet diplomats "persona non grata,” the informant said that no action was contemplated against members of the Soviet Embassy staff