CASES CITED

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27091, 27 May 1949, Page 5

CASES CITED

SOVIET PRESSURE ON STAFF OF EMBASSY BRITISH PROTEST TO MOSCOW NZPA—Copyright Rec. 8 p.m. LONDON, May 26. The British Note to the Soviet authorities' complaining of pressure being brought to bear on the staff of the British Embassy in Moscow. and of the refusal to issue entry visas for British citizens in the diplomatic service with the British Embassy, cites the cases of three women telephonists (two of them the Soviet-born wives of British citizens) who disappeared, and another case of a woman who was so intimidated by the police that she attempted suicide, the Foreign Office said to-day. , , ~ , The Foreign Office statement, which names the persons concerned, cites other cases of police intimidation which forced employees to leave the Embassy after many years’ service. Protest Agnored

The Foreign Office said that on October 22, 1948, the British Ambassador, Sir Maurice'Peterson, wrote Mr Molotov about the case of the two women who disappeared and the one who tried to commit suicide, and pretested against the persecution to which the Embassy staff was being subjected. He asked that people employed in the Embassy should be exempt from police interference No acknowledgment or reply to this letter has been received. . , , On January 6 Sir Maurice took up other cases with the Soviet Foreign Minister, Mr Andrei Vyshinsky, who refused to give any assurances that interference with these members of the staff would cease.l This interview with Mr Vyshinsky was almost immediately followed by the disappearance of a third telephonist. The British Note said that it seemed the Soviet authorities were seeking to dictate the composition of the staff of the British Embassy in Moscow. • Reciprocal Treatment “Britain extends personal courtesy and • immunity to employees of the Soviet Embassy. in London, and the British Government must insist on this treatment being reciprocal," the Note Sa |t then referred to the withdrawal or refusal of visas to people whqse services were required in the British Embassy in Moscow. “The Soviet Government will appreciate that it cannot expect to be able to persecute members of the staff of the British Embassy and to delay visas while continuing to enjoy most favourable treatment as regards the Soviet Embassy in London. “His Majesty’s Government,” said the Note, “has gone to the furthest limit of forbearance, and cannot allow obstruction of the work of the Embassy to continue. It intends in future to deal with these matters on a general basis of reciprocity.” The Russian reply, broadcast from Moscow to-day, complained that Britain had refused to grant visas to the Russians. The new British policy of refusing visas to members of the Soviet Embassy staff in London if visas were refused to persons . applying to join the British Embassy staff in Moscow, is now in operation, a Foreign Office spokesman said to-day.