SOVIET OFFICIAL DEFECTS TO U.S. WITH LIST OF SPIES IN BELGIUM

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP73B00296R000500200010-3
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 21, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 23, 2005
• Sequence Number: 10
• Publication Date: October 19, 1971
• Content Type: NSPR

T)b P6
ppT'oved For Release 2006/10/17: CIA-RDP73BOO2
WASHINGTON POST
l05QQ2p00.10-3
(C lI PAGE 14-
Soviet OffLcI.LP1cts,. to U.S.
with List of Spies in
From News Dispatches
The Belgian government an-
noitnoed yesterday Soviet
trade official had defected,
traveled to the United States
and there turned over a list of
37 Soviet spies and their activ-
ities in Belgium.
The defection and report on
Soviet espionage activities was
the second within a month by
a Soviet official, following by
four weeks a similar incident
in London that led to the ex-
pulsion of 105 Soviets from
Britain.
Belgian government sources
said that necessary steps
would be taken: through diplo-
matic channels against -37 Rus-
sians named by the official
who -defected from his post
They'did not elaborate.
here
.
The Belgian foreign minis-
try confirmed in a brief state-
nlent reports that a Soviet
trade mission official, Anatoly
Chebotarev, had defected and
had been granted political asy-
lum in the United States.
Ip Washington, the State
Department announced yester-
day that Tchebotarev is in the
United States after having
been granted political asylum.
In its announcement, the de-
partment said the Russian re-
oently contacted the U.S. em-
bassy in the Belgian capital
and asked for asylum. It said
the asylum was granted.
There were no further de-
tails from the State Depart-
ment.
Chebotarev, 38, disappeared
Oct. 3 and was reported miss-
ing the next day by the SO-
viet embassy. The Russian-
made car he was using when
he disappeared was found four
days later in the northern port
town of Zeebrugge.
"Chebotarev has made state-
elgium
in Belgium. The sources
quoted Chebotarev as saying
at least some of them were
employed in monitoring tele-
phone lines used by NATO
and SHAPE.
Government sources said
Belgium would act quietly,
through diplomatic channels,
to deal with the threat raised,
by the alleged spies.
The sources said they did j
not foresee a mass explusion'
such as in Britain, where the
Soviets were expelled last
month following the defection
of a Soviet spy in London.
They said Belgium had been
aware of the existence of a
number of spies and that Che-
botarev's information would
help close certain investiga-
tions currently under way.
ments about the activities of
Soviet citizens in Belgium,"
the foreign ministry statement
end.
said. "The government was in-
formed of them.
"As in the past, the govern-
ment does not allow any activ-
ity which might endanger its
security and that of interna-
tional organizations, estab-
lished on its territory," the
statement said.
The ministry referred to the
North Atlantic Treaty Organi-
zation, the Supreme Head-
quarters Allied Powers Eu-
rope and the European Com-
mon Market, all of which have
their headquarters in Belgium.
Police sources said Chebo-
tarev had supplied a list of at
least 37 Soviet spies operating
The sources said Belgium's
NATO allies were kept in-
formed of its actions. Officials,
at NATO and SHAPE declined
comment.
Police sources said Chebo-
tarev, after leaving his car at
Zeebrugge, had been taken to
Britain aboard a small boat.
The sources said 16 staff of
the Soviet travel organization
Intourist and of the Scaldia
automobile assembly plant
near the NATO headquarters
had left for Moscow last week.
Approved For Release 2006/10/17: CIA-RDP73BOO296ROO0500200010-3