SOVIET DIPLOMATS DISLIKE N.Z. POSTS

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30133, 17 May 1963, Page 10

SOVIET DIPLOMATS DISLIKE N.Z. POSTS

No Russian career diplomats wanted postings in New Zealand, the Soviet Charge d’Affaires (Mr N. V. Ivanov) said in Christchurch last evening on his first visit to the South Island. He found it impossible, in spite of repeated requests to Moscow, to fill two vacancies at the Soviet Legation in Wellington, he said. No amount of trying could get him men to fill long-standing vacancies for a Third Secretary and a Press Attache. The total Soviet diplomatic staff in New Zealand today was four including himself. “We like in our diplomatic career to show that we can do something.” said Mr Ivanov, But Soviet diplomats in New Zealand were able to sell only one two-hundredth of the value of products that New Zealand was selling to the Soviet Union. Young Soviet career diplomats much preferred postings to places such as Britain or Africa, where they could show their skill—where they felt their work would not be wasted.

In August, said Mr Ivanov, he would lose Mr L. Filatov, the present Second Secretary of the legation, who would return to Moscow. In the cultural field, Mr Ivanov said he hoped the Georgian Dancers would tour New Zealand this year. The Moscow Circus was scheduled to visit New Zealand this year, but he doubted whether the visit would eventuate, because of difficulty .in obtaining a suitable impresario. The Red Army Choir micht tour New Zealand in 1965 The Russian violinist, Yuri Oistrakh, might come to New Zealand this year. Helped With Dishes

In a St. Albans home where he is staying as a guest, Mr Ivanov, after the evening meal, helped with the dishes. “I often cook for myself and do the dishes in the Soviet Legation of an evening when the domestic staff have knocked off duty,” he said. ‘‘My favourite dish is

big Russian salads, with plenty of oil and New Zealand tomatoes.”

Today, Mr Ivanov plans to tour Christchurch with his triple-turret movie camera. He has set his heart on taking movie pictures of the Botanic Gardens, the Avon river and other Christchurch scenes. Photography, said Mr Ivanov, was his favourite hobby.

Mr .Ivanov showed something of his knowledge of photography when a photographer of “The Press’’ caught him drying the dishes —Mr Ivknov moved away from the kitchen window. He knew, he said, that the reflected light of the photographer's flash-gun could cause a blur in the film.

This morning Mr Ivanov will meet the Mayor (Mr G. Manning) at a reception. He will visit the Canterbury Museum during the day and in the evening he will have dinner at a New Brighton restaurant. He expects to return to Wellington on Tuesday,