Legation Says Move Was Invited

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31764, 22 August 1968, Page 1

Legation Says Move Was Invited

(From Our Own Reporter)

WELLINGTON, August 21.

The infiltration into Czechoslovakia of armed “soldiers of the Western powers” was the reason for the move by Warsaw Pact countries in sending a force into that country. This was stated tonight by the First Secretary (Information) of the Soviet Legation in Wellington (Mr E. A. Pozdniakov).

Speaking at his home in Northland tonight, Mr Pozdniakov said that the Soviet Union had acted after a request by the Government of Czechoslovakia that its western boundaries should be protected from infiltration. He said he was authorised to state that the Soviet troops had moved to protect the rights of the Czechoslovaks in terms of the Warsaw Pact. The rights of the Soviet Union to do what it was doing, under request by the

Czechoslovak Government, were well defined in the pact, and also at conferences held in Dresden and in Bratislava. Mr Pozdniakov declined to identify the Western powers he was referring to, but said: “You have only to see the borders of Czechoslovakia to know who are responsible.”

After further questioning he said that the Sudeten Germans had made many threats, and had been responsible for much infiltration.

Many arms and much ammunition had been taken back into Czechoslovakia by these infiltrators, he said. They had included officers and soldiers of Western powers.

When asked to identify the powers concerned he said it would be a bit naive to expect that the officers would be wearing their national uniforms. He mentioned the figure of 500,000 as the number of infiltrators. He would not be specific about this but said it was a figure supplied by Czechoslovakia. Asked who had requested the Soviet Union to man Czechoslovakia’s western borders, he said “the Czechoslovak Government.” Asked if that would be Mr Dubcek? he first agreed and then said “I do not know. It was the Czechoslovak Government.” When told that Mr Dubcek, according to Prague Radio, had denied making any such requests, Mr Pozdniakov said, “My information came from Moscow Radio. I listen to Moscow Radio. I could not understand the Czechoslovak broadcast anyway.” He stated that his information came entirely from Moscow Radio. He had not received any other advices, nor had the Wellington Legation. When it was suggested that if a request came from the Czechoslovak Government it would come from Mr Dubcek, he replied, “I do not know about that.” The Soviet troops have moved entirely in response to a request by the Czechoslovak Government?—Yes. If the Czechoslovak Government asks them to withdraw, will they do so?—Yes, definitely. To other questions, Mr Pozdniakov said: “We are supporting the legally constituted Government of Czechoslovakia. We are helping! them against infiltration.” I He was asked a number of times to define the number of infiltrators, the types of weapons they carried, and specifically where they came from, apart from the generic term “Western powers.” Mr Pozdniakov did not answer these questions. When it was suggested that most of the 500,000 Western infiltrators might be simply tourists from Western democracies to the old Bohemian capital he would not comment beyond saying: “It is a Czechoslovak figure."

An interviewer: On a request to man the western

borders of Czechoslovakia, did this mean that Russian troops had to enter Czechoslovakia?

Mr Pozdniakov: They had to cross Czechoslovakia to get to the western border. When Mr Pozdniakov declined to be more specific about infiltration an interviewer asked: “Was not your action rather like using a 161 b hammer to swot a butterfly?” He replied: “We did what we were asked to do.”