Police telexes go to Soviets

Press, 23 March 1988, Page 1

Police telexes go to Soviets

By

PATRICK LYONS

NZPA-AAP •! I- I Canberra Several telexes from the Australian Federal Police force in Cyprus destined for its Australian • headquarters; have been sent in error to the Soviet Embassy.! | ! ! Ari A.F.PJ spokesman, Mr Philip Castle, said the [mistake was 11 made because i the . A.RP. telex number was the same as the Soviet number except for one [digit-! I ‘ J■ f I 11 •'): 11: He said the telexes, sent in [ January and early February; rei lated to administrative | inatters and did not breach security. ! ‘‘There was nothing sensitive ih|:them at'all,” MrjCastle said. ‘■They hadi nothing to [do with A.F.P; policies and if there'had been anything sensitive ,it would ; have been in code.”| | ' I 41 ! \ I Mr Castle said the Soviet [Embassy had not notified the police the telexes had arrived.'' !| . Two of the telexes related to one of the A.F.P. contingent in Cyprus who sought permission to return Ito Australia lon I compassionate leave because a relative had died. Another [related' to overtime approval. . !.|l| [: ~,The transmission error was discovered when the! officer on compassionate leave | arrived in Australia. | The A.F.P. has about 24 people in Cyprus as part of a United Nations peace-keeping force.