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Cambridge Five Spy Ring — Part 14

85 pages · May 09, 2026 · Broad topic: Intelligence Operations · Topic: Cambridge Five Spy Ring · 85 pages OCR'd
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4] 4 om rd - The only representatiye of any newspaper in the world invited to the disclosur meeting was Richard ughes, The Sunday. Times representative in Mosco - The others present wer Reuter’s Moscow correspondent and two Soviet corre- ‘spondents. In their statement, they said that they had been ‘in Russia since leaving Bri in and were living in Moscow, Maclean with his wife and children—who vanished frbm Switzerland in1953. Neither would say whether he was | 7 - working for the Soviet Foreign Ministry. + Burgess the Dominant Partner By RICHARD’ HUGHES, Representative of The Sunday Times in Moscow PINONIGUIT if Room 00 ant af the “LT souare’ in noom AVA UL Be 10 Square and the Kremlin, I met and talked with Dona d Maclean and Guy Burgess, the missing British diplomats. They handed me a copy of [a sthtement which they said they wished to make to the Press In mat The only other persons present re the representatives of Reuters, of the Communist Party news- paper “Pravda” and the offictal ‘Soviet news agency Tass. The interview lasted about five minutes. Burgess and Maclean said that they had been in the Soviet Union ever since they left Britain and that they lived in Moscow. Maclean added that his American’ wife Melinda and his two -thildren, who disappeared” from Switzerland in 1953, were with I arrived jate and reluctant at Room 101, which is om the first floor of the hotel, | had been summoned by a strange voice speakigg poor English when I was- packing ta rgturn to London on Monday. ‘I had t that it was merely an invitation t& have a farewell drink with the hotel manager. “entered the room, where northal television is shown to guests, and fou five men seated around a white-cloth table surrounded by late Victorian bric-§- /brac, golden clocks and antimac: . under an ornate chandelier. e- ee tr. man MOSCOW, Saturday. st averianiving Réd tel National, OUVELIOUALI Iv I looked around mystified. A tall th a bive suit and red bow tie stood >. “ft am Donald Maclean,” he said. | “1 am Guy Burgess,”, ssid a sho’ | an in a blue suit and blue-and-w striped tie. “Gentlemen,” I sald, “this is the end of the long trail” They laughed and sat down to face me and Sydney Weiland, the Reuter repre- sentative, and two Russians representing Tass and “ Pravda.” © MACT RAN MA AERALY L(bi4 TO SIT There was some ¢butious sparring and forced laughter ATound the ble, while, Burgess, ‘whg/seemed to me to we e spokesman for couple, oped havcisome leather brief- , an Hroduced “exactly i gmeticu: | ned co fous 1,000 words Burgess and A) and carefully ree-page document ed * Statement by G.! _Q} Maclean,” n response to our questions, * who was. affable and smiling, insis¢ed thkt they could say nothing ana wispea weet nothing that was not included in _ the text ¢ of the’ statement. Burgess, insisfed ogee TE OT ole Fem ON ay gt a ON i, ee / To obvious questions about the dhitaren, aclean replied that everything was ex- lained In the statement. To questiéns bout whether they were empioyedjin . - ‘oscow as advisers to the Soviet Fore ffige Burgess, who, I cannot emphasise too strongly, was the relaxed spokes fey fae hath the slelarpete eon lia. 2 CALEA GED ULL, replied Taaiy . “You won't find me by sitting outside the Forelgn Office.” He added: “ The fact is I don't want to have correspondents trying to follow me around.” Maclean seemed content to sit back, ° pur a cigarette and Hsten to Burgess ao etie “You Aren't Playing ~ Fair” ‘A estatement was made ‘by one journalist present: “You aren't playing fair with us in not giving us an oppor- tunity to read the statement and then ask questions before you leave." Burgess laughed. “Now don't try to tell me that,” he said, with a side glance at Maclean, who joined in the laugh, “TI have given out too many statements to the Press in my.time not to know what I have given you fellows. We just don't intend to add to our statement." i was itching to leave when it was ciear that Burgess had no intention of adding to the statement—-I repeat that, looking back In retrospect as I frantically type this message, My main impression of & rushed, improbable meeting is. the com- plele dominance by Burgess of the inter- view. He was the one who carried the stalements.. He was the one who handed them out as soon as 1, the last arfival, had seated myself at the table. Helwas he one who replied to questions, Repwas he one who quipped, fested and in¥ted aclean, leaning back on his Weft
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