Swiss expel envoy after spying claim

Press, 2 July 1983, Page 11

Swiss expel envoy after spying claim

NZPA-Reuter Berne Switzerland yesterday expelled a Soviet Vice-Consul from Geneva on a charge of spying, continuing its new tough stance against alleged East Bloc subversion. The official, identified by Swiss sources as Vladislav Istumin, was ordered to leave the country within a few days and the Government protested to the Soviet Embassy. A Justice Ministry statement accused him of trying for several years to gather political, economic and scientific information in a manner incompatible with his status. His efforts were said to have been partly successful.

Last April, the Government caused a political stir by closing down the Berne office of the Soviet Novosti news agency and expelling the bureau chief, Alexei Durnov, in a blaze of publicity. Its charges that Novosti was subversively interfering in internal Swiss affairs, including infiltrating the local peace movement, ler 1 to allegations that the move was aimed at disrediting Left-wing political forces at home. This was denied by the Government. Over the last 18 months, Soviet officials expelled or leaving of their own accord in connection with espionage affairs have included two deputy military

attaches, two Geneva-based diplomats, a First Secretary at the Berne Embassy and the head of the Aeroflot Airline office in Geneva. Another Soviet citizen is due to be tried shortly for allegedly trying to pick up secret military documents about South Africa in Zurich. Until the beginning of this year, the Government handled the expulsions more discreetly. But since then the Justice Ministry has been headed by Rudolf Friedrich, a Right-wing politician who frequently raised security matters in, Parliament before he joined' the seven-man coalition Cabinet.