Russia Protests To Czechoslovakia

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31704, 13 June 1968, Page 11

Russia Protests To Czechoslovakia

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright)

MOSCOW, June 12.

The Soviet Union has revealed that it had made its first formal protest to Czechoslovakia since the liberalisation there and called for a ban on anti-Soviet articles in Czechoslovak publications.

The protest Note, handed to the Czechoslovak Embassy on Monday, concerned a Prague newspaper’s reprinting of an American report that a Soviet general had helped General Jan Sejna, of Czechoslovakia, to defect to the United States. The report, written by a Prague correspondent of the “New York Times,” said the Soviet general had approved the issue of a diplomatic passport to General Sejna. The Czechoslovak general disappeared from Prague in February and turned up in the United States on February 28. He is wanted in

Prague for questioning on his role in the mobilisation of a tank division that allegedly tried to save the former President and party leader, Mr Antonin Novotny, from dismissal. Charges of embezzlement have also been made against him. But a Prague daily newspaper denied yesterday that it wanted to damage SovietCzechoslovak relations by printing the controversial report. The Soviet Union protested against the publication in “Lidova Demokracie.” “By no means do we intend to disturb the friendly relations which traditionally unite the peoples of Czechoslovakia and the Soviet Union,” “Lidova Demokracie” said.

Another Prague daily, “Slobodne Slovo,” said the. Prague Defence Ministry

denial of the “New York Times” report was also printed as well as the article and said it doubted whether such high diplomatic action was necessary.