British-Russian thaw?

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32848, 23 February 1972, Page 16

British-Russian thaw?

Early in January the Russian Ambassador, Mr Smimovsky, returned to London almost unnoticed. He had been absent for four months, as an indication of Russia’s displeasure over the expulsion of 105 members of the Soviet Embassy staff, alleged to have been engaged in espionage in Britain. Compared with the sweeping British purge, Moscow’s retaliatory action in October was revealingly mild: four members of the British Embassy staff and a British businessman were required to leave, and 13 other British citizens who at some lime had been in Russia were banned permanently from returning there. The recall of Mr Smirnovsky was a gesture that had to be made, if only to save face. His presence in London once more may mean that the Russians are now prepared to regard the entire spy episode as closed. Apparently it had been indicated to Mr Brezhnev that that, at least, was the British attitude. The British Foreign Secretary (Sir Alec DouglasHome) had indicated Uiat he would like plans for his own visit to Moscow—temporarily set aside during the spy purge—to be revived. The' Kremlin/ still hoping to convene an all-European security conference, may be expected to be co-operative. Mr Heath and Sir Alec Douglas-Home had taken a tough line on the Russian spies to indicate to Britain’s European allies that they thought it useless to talk about security while widespread Soviet subversion persisted. It was also noted that the BritishSoviet breach had only limited repercussions. It did not affect the strategic arms limitation talks between Russia and the United States; nor did it affect the development of a new relationship between Russia and West Germany. Mr Brezhnev, however, may fear that without firm British backing there may be no all-European talks; so Mr Smirnovsky is back in London.

So far as is known, Mr Smirnovsky has not yet made any direct approach to Sir Alec Douglas-Home. But he has had long talks with the latter’s deputy at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Sir Denis

Greenhill—talks that might be a cautious preparatory step towards healing ’he breach. A British commercial delegation, for example, is going to Russia in March to look at prospects for increasing trade between the two countries; and Sir Alec Douglas-Home, at a recent diplomatic function, emphasised that he would welcome a chance of discussing security issues with Mr Smirnovsky as a prelude to visiting Moscow when Mr Brezhnev is ready to receive him. Mr Brezhnev’s choice of a successor to Mr Smirnovsky, who is due to move on to a new post, will be significant Will he be a hard-liner, or someone able—and permitted—to meet Sir Alec Douglas-Home on reasonably common ground?