FREED U.S. PILOTS Angry scene in Moscow

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33034, 29 September 1972, Page 9

FREED U.S. PILOTS Angry scene in Moscow

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright)

MOSCOW, September 28.

An American anti-war activist in a group escorting three United States Air Force pilots home after their release from imprisonment in North Vietnam, today' accused American diplomats in Moscow of indifference to the prisoners’ plight.

An angry scene occurred at Shremetyevo Airport, Moscow, while the freed pilots waited to board an airliner for an onward flight to Copenhagen. The Rev. William Coffin, of Yale University, approached the Deputy United Staes Ambassador to the Soviet Union (Mr Adolph Dubs) just after the diplomat had finished speaking to two of the pilots, and warned him against “interfering” with them. “You don't know what the conditions are.” he said.

A North Vietnamese diplomat stood nearby, listening attentively, as Mr Coffin told the American diplomat: “You are so indifferent to the plight of those pilots in North Vietnam. and so blatantly . ” Mr Dubs cut him off. “How dare you!” he said loudly.

“Oh, come off it,” Mr Coffin snapped. “Shut un and listen to me for a change. It’s quite clear who’s using who at this time.” “Don’t address me in those terms,” Mr Dubs retorted as he stepped back. “Just don’t address me in those terms.”

“Oh, get off your hind legs, and come down off your high horse,” Mr Coffin said. Mr Dubs turned towards Mr Andrey Falkiewicz, the U.S. Counsellor for Cultural Affairs, and said, “What a pile of ... ” The former prisoners, two of their relatives, and four anti-war activists had been due to return to the United States via Vientiane, Laos, but their route was changed to take them via Peking, Moscow, and Copenhagen. The change is believed to have been made after American officials in Vientiane indicated that they would try to assume responsibility for the released men once they were out of North Vietnam. Mr Dubs met the pilots in Moscow to offer them beds at the residence of the United States Ambassador, and to say that an American aircraft was standing bv in Copenhagen to take them home if they wished to use it. The pilots declined both offers, but accepted new American passports from the diplomat.