WEEKLY REVIEW

Created: 11/22/1963

OCR scan of the original document, errors are possible

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WEEKLY REVIEW

OFFICE OF CURRENT INTELLIGENCE

APPROVED FOR RELEASE DATE:5 '

central intelligence agency

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CONTENTS (Information as0 EST,

THE COMMUNIST WORlJ)

THERN

Moscow's handling; of this affair suggests anmiscalculation of the repercussions in the US, followed by efforts to minimize the damage to Soviet-American relations.

ovINTELLIGENCE WEEKLYi

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release of Professor Barghoorn onovember, two days after President Kennedy's public condemnation of Soviet behavior, apparentlyecision by the Soviet leaders to disengage as quickly asfrom this episode and to try to minimize the damage to Soviet-US relations.

Ambassador Kohler believes the Soviet authorities failed to anticipate the US reaction to Barghoorn's arrest and that they were bewildered and genuinely alarned by the volume andof US protests and Moscow's terseof Barghoorn's release stated that in view of the "concern of high USheGovernment had decided "merely to expel him from the Soviet Union" rather than bring him to trial on espionage charges. Gromyko informed Kohler privately that this decision was the result of Khrushchev's personaland requested that this be brought to the attention of President Kennedy.

Soviet propaganda has played down the incident, deplored the "hue and cry" raised in the US, and expressed the pious hope that Washington "will correctlythe good will of the Soviet Government" in releasing Barghoorn.

In Ambassador Kohler's view, this episodo does noteliberate decision to worsen relations with the US or to jettison the peacefulpolicy and move closer to Chinese Ciwimunim positions. Although the ambassadorthat SovLet authorities regard an occasional espionage caseseful device forthe Soviet people against unmonitored contacts withhe feels the primary

motive In the Barghoorn affair was the desire to secure afor I. A. Ivanov, anof tho Soviet "Amtorg" trade organization in New York who was arrcstod onctober. Gromyko told Kohlerhat the USSR expects that the US Government "will take the necessary measures" to release Ivanov.

Moscow's apparent desire to avoid further damagingexchanges over this case was evident in Gromyko'swarning to Kohler that If any US officialattempts to Justifybehavior, thus casting doubt on the legitimacy ofactions, the USSR "will reserve the right to publish materials of theincluding the deposition of F. Barghoorn himself."|

Nov 63

INTELLIGENCE" WEEKLY REVIEW

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Original document.

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