ROMANIAN SECURITY AIDE REPORTEDLY DEFECTS TO U.S.

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP81M00980R000600060026-2
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 19, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 9, 2006
• Sequence Number: 26
• Publication Date: August 9, 1978
• Content Type: NSPR

W
Romanian Security Aide
Renortedly Defects to U.S.
By Peter Osnos
Washington Post Staff Writer
A lieutenant general in Romania's
security police has defected to the
`West and is seeking political asylum
in the United States, according to re-
ports here and in West Germany.
The West German daily Die Welt
said Yesterday that the official, Ion
Pacepa, vanished 12 days ago while on
a visit to Cologne. Informed sources
'in Washington said the newspaper's
account was essentially accurate, but
declined to confirm the paper's report
'that Pacepa is being interrogated by
agents of the U.S. Central Intelligence
Agency.
Pacepa was apparently a senior
figure in the Romanian security appa-
ratus-the local equivalent' of the So-
viet Union's KGB. Sources here said
the general was deeply involved in
such sensitive matters as the personal
safety and travels of Romania's Presi
,dent Nicolae Ceausescu.
One U.S. source recalled that Pa-
cepa was in the United States accom-
panying Ceausescu on the Romanian's
most recent visit last spring.
According to Die Welt, Pacepa was
last reported leaving his hotel the eve-
ning of July 28. He was in Cologne ne-
gotiating with the West'German firm
VFW-Fokker for the right to build a
German-designed passenger plane un-
der license, the paper said. His disap-
pearance was noted by the Romanian
Embassy in Bonn which sought help
from German police in finding him.
Die Welt said Pacepa had been in
contact with the CIA for some time
before his disappearance. Officials
here would not confirm that to be the
case.
The defection of Pacepa, assuming
that he is cooperating with the CIA, is
a blow not only to the Romanians but
also to the Soviets, with whom they
maintain close touch on security is-
sues.
The Romanian version of the KGB
s one of the most elaborate in the So-
let bloc. Pacepa, Die Welt said,
ranked as a vice minister of the or-
ganization, in addition to his rank as
general-another indication that he
had access to important Warsaw Pact
secrets.
Informed sources in Washington
said that Ceausescu had always been
especially careful about his internal
security operation and that Pacepa's
defection would likely have reverbera.
tions in Bucharest.
While Die Welt described Pacepa as
one of the "most important" officials
in Bucharest, this is considered an
overstatement by knowledgeable
sources here. Nonetheless, they said,
Pacepa played it major role in prepa-
rations for high-level talks between
Ceausescu and other international
leaders, an important function in a
country which prides itself on having
a role in world affairs beyond its size.
Ceausescu is presently preparing
for a visit from Chinese leader Hua
Kuo-feng, the first trip by a Chinese
party leader to anywhere in Europe
outside the Soviet Union.
Pacepa is undoubtedly one of the
highest ranking security officials to
defect from a Warsaw Pact country in
recent years.
Probably the most spectactular re-
cent defection, however, was that of
Arkady Shevchenko, the highest rank-
ing Soviet official in the United Na-
tions secretariat who refused to re-
turn home in April and received asy-
lum in the U.S..
WCIDIF
Approved For Release 2006/08/09: CIA-RQ'$~1 M0098 ROQ06000600 ~J a