293. Memorandum of Conversation0
SUBJECT
- Warning to Soviet Embassy on Intelligence Activities of Soviet Officials
PARTICIPANTS
- Mr. Georgi M. Kornienko, Counselor, Soviet Embassy
- Mr. Richard H. Davis, Deputy Assistant Secretary for European Affairs
- SOV—Robert I. Owen
Counselor Kornienko was called in to the Department to receive a protest against continuing intelligence activities by Soviet personnel of their Embassy and Amtorg.
Mr. Davis reminded Mr. Kornienko that on various occasions in the past the Department has called the Embassyʼs attention to impermissible activities carried on by officials of the Soviet Embassy and Amtorg. He recalled his conversations with Mr. Smirnovsky on this subject August 9, 1961 and December 21, 1961 and referred to Mr. Guthrieʼs discussion on this question with Mr. Filippov on June 5, 1961.
Mr. Davis said that the Department is seriously disturbed by the continuing intelligence activities of a number of Soviet Embassy and Amtorg officials and employees, activities which continue in spite of repeated warnings in the past. He observed that the only apparent effect of the US warnings seems to have been the shifting of some of these activities from Amtorg to Embassy officials. Mr. Davis cited as Soviet officials particularly flagrant in improper activities Mr. G.A. Nikolaev of Amtorg, Mr. B.S. Petrikovski, an employee of the office of the Embassyʼs Commercial Attaché, and Embassy Third Secretary A.V. Kuznetsov. Mr. Davis stressed that we are aware of improper activities by a goodly number of other Soviet officials and that the three persons mentioned were those whose activities have been especially bad. Mr. Davis said that we are asking that such activities be stopped.
Mr. Kornienko asked if he had correctly understood Mr. Davis to say intelligence activities. After receiving Mr. Davisʼ affirmative response, Mr. Kornienko stated that he could not accept this kind of accusation since he knew that the Soviet Embassy and other Soviet establishments in this country are not involved in any “unofficial” activities. He would, of course, report Mr. Davisʼ comments to his Embassy and the government of theUSSR. He repeated that, as far as he personally was concerned, he absolutely could not accept “that kind of accusation.”
[Page 629]Mr. Davis said that on our part we consider that our knowledge of these activities was conclusive, that our sole interest is that these improper activities cease and that we do not intend to give publicity to our warning. Mr Kornienko said that he had nothing to add but repeated that he would bring the matter to the attention of his Embassy and government.1