◆ SpookStack

. And —s _ Now Vladimir Petrov, the farmer third secretary of tbe Stvict Embassy m Canberta, who sought poltical asvium: qi A@ril 3, 1954, has provided. cog- fiipnation of Lhis. Pelroy himself? was not directly concerned in ihe case _ his information was obtained from conversation wilt one of his colleagues in Soviet sorviee in Australia. Petroy slates that bath Maclean and Burgess wore reertuled. as spies for the Sovies Government while stidents at the university, with the futen- tron that they should carry ott their espianage tasks om th Foreign) OMice, and Laat in 1953 hy micans unknown to him, ene ep olher of the two men. becant aware that their actlyitics were under investigation. | Escape This was reported hy them ta the [Soviet Intelligence service, who'then organised their escape arid removal to the Soviet Wnion, _ Petrov has the impression that ihe escape route imeluded Ceechoslovania and that it involved. an airplane flight into that country, Upen their arrival in Russia, Maclean and Burgess. lived near Moscow. “They were used. as visers) 190 the Minislev jot agencies. etrov adds: that one of tlie ‘Men Affairs and other Soviet — wen (Maclean) has since jgined by his wife. . «e 4 ‘Two points. call. for c@m- ment? First, how Mactan d Burgess remained im the foreign Service For 60 Jong, and. second. why they were able to get rey : pm Whe eas er yoenals novhing was on ahoub either to. show that he was unsuitable for the public SETVICe, Th is true that their sub sequent peracnal behaviour was unsatisfactory, and this led to action in each cage. As already stated, Maclean was recalled from Cairo. in 1950 and was not re-employed until he was declared micdically fit. Burgess was recalled from Washington in 1051 and was aAbked to ¥esign. It was only shortly before iclean disappeared thpt eth these two: ; . men , were given. their appoint | record | fous suspicion of his resa- idity was aroused and active inquiries were set. on foot, 2h The gecond question. |is @O how Maclean and Burgdus made good their escape from this country whet the security authorities were on their track. The watch on Maclean. was made difficult by the need’ to énsure that he did not become aware that he was ynder observation. * This watch wag primarily aimed ab collecting, if possible. fugther information, atid not ab preventing an escape. y¥ imposing it a caleulated visk had to pe taken that he inignht become aware of it and mifat take flight. Tt was. inadvisable 10 increase this. visk by extending tne sizveiiance to his hone im an isolated pavh of the country and - he was therefore watched in Loudon. only. : Both men were free to 5° | abread at any time. it some countrics, no spunt, Miclean, would have peen avtesica first and quesljoned afterwards. In this county no arrést can be made wilhoull ade- quage evidence. At the time there was. insufficient evidence. | wom sayy [or tire security authoripies tolembark upon the ifficult qd ddicsie investipation af Wihciean, taking into. i ackount the risk that he wo id bebalerted, . Tl the event. he was. alerted and fled the country togebher with Burgess. . As a result of this casc rw in July 1951 the then Secretary of State; Mr. Herhert Morrison, set up & committee Of jnquiry to corsider the security. checks applied i@ members. of the Foreign Service, the existing regulations and practices of the Foreign Service in regard lo any matters having @ bearing of security, and ta report. whether any alberations were calied for. The commilttee reported 19 November 1051, Check Tt recommended, among other things, @ more extensive, security check . om Foréizn Service officers than had until then een the practice. ; This was immediately put into eifect and shice 1992 searching inquiries have been made into the antecedents and associg(ts of ‘all ihosa occupysng OF AP] ie for positions in the Per OfRce involving. highly sear information. ' . fhe purpose of these Inquing ls’ to érisura that mo one 18 appointed to or eontinues to accupy any such post uniess he or sie is fit to be entrusted with the secrets to which the post Elves access. The Foreign Secretary of the day approved =the = ACMON ¥equired. Criterion | 4 A ereab déal of criticism 48 nas’ been directed ftaywards the reticence of ministerial replies wn ‘these matters, an attibude which. it was alleged would. net have: been changed had it not been for the Petrov revelations. ; ; Espionage is carried ou. in seerel, . Counter - esplonage equally depends for its success upon the maximum secrecy of its methods. Wor is it desirable at. any moment to Jet the other side know how much has been dis- covered ar guess ab whal means yave heen used to discover iM. jor should they be allowed to tnow all the steps thab he cen taken to improve securip These considerations ep pply friterion. for fudging what should or should not be pub- lished. lp was tor these reasons TAces- | 1 | and niust be the fakic |