Russian Journalist Interviews Kennedy

Press, Volume C, Issue 29681, 27 November 1961, Page 17

Russian Journalist Interviews Kennedy

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November 26. Kennedy granted an unprecedented exclusive interview yesterday to a > U^ D Mr exei Adzhube y i, sonKtemhdU>“ ,e * Prta,e Miai ’ ,er < Mp

Mr Adzhubei, editor of the official. Soviet newspaper •Izvestia," predicted that hi. discussion with the President would help “betterment” of Soviet-American relations. The two-hour interview, in the living room of Mr Kennedy’s summer home at Hyannis Port, was the first an American President has given exclusively to a Soviet reporter. Mr Adzhubei told reporters after the meeting that it had been a combination of a discussion and question answering He also told them: “You have a young President of a great country. You all should be proud of that." The "Izvestia” editor said that at the end of the interview Mr Kennedy remarked that it might have been too long. Mr Adzhubei said he replied that the Russian people were used to reading long stories. Berlin Discussed Asked if Berlin had been one of the topics, the Soviet editor replied: “Berlin—of course. It is we, the Russians, who live in Europe not you.” (The Presidential press secretary, Mr Pierre Salinger, said that the interview covered all the major problems facing the world.) Mr Adzhubei was himself Interviewed in his hotel, in a briefing session also attended by Mr Salinger. "We had a very interesting conversation—and a very important conversation for our understanding of many important problems,” he said. The American reporters asked dozens of questions, some of which seemed to sur. prise Mr Adzhubei. One was about his age. He was 37, he said, adding: “I'm not a young ladv who would hide my age." He said he expected to have the interview ready for transmission to his homeland by tomorrow night but added that it might take some time to transmit because of what he described as technical matters affecting radio transmission.

Mr Adzhubei was asked: “WiH the interview make a difference in the relations between the two countries?” h* replied, “Yes.” Asked in what way, be said: “For the betterment.” Educated By Mather When he was asked his age a second time, Mr Adzhubei said: “I guess I better give you my biography. I was born in Central Asia—in 1924 —and was educated by my mother who was a seamstress, now retired. “I was to the war, I went to the university, and according to the American doctrine, I met the pretty daughter of the man who was to become premier. That’s how my career started.” Mr Adzhubei said that “Isvesti*" bad a circulation of 4.500,000—as much as five to six million on holidays—and was read by 15 to 20 million people. He said before the interview that he hoped to publish the entire text in "Izvestia.” A White House stenographer took down the entire conversation, which is to be released for publication after it has been compared with a translation from the Russian text.