◆ SpookStack

Serethan sale every day OPINION THE FOREIGN ‘OFFICE OBJECTS... [NTEN SE and voluble activity in the Foreign Office! With what object? To discredit, as far as possible, a sensational report| n the Daily Express from its crime reporter, Percy Hoskins. Hoskins sald that Viadi- iniry Petrov, ex-agent of ‘he ‘Russian secret police, nas told Australian security officers how the missing British diplomats Burgess: ind Maclean escaped, where hey are at present, and}t what they are doing. The Foreign Office replies ihat Petrov had only hearsay knowledge of the ‘jurgess - Maclean, affair, and no detailed informa- vion. -Later 1t admits that} Petrov has indeed given information about them. Really, gentlemen! THE Foreign Office 1s' wasting its time and|: ours. Is it seriously suggested that a key Russian agent in) a key centre of the Russian spy Retwork (Australia) uld fail to glean an immense amount of ifformation about Burgess. and Maclean ? “DAILY exedsse London )-29-5h #8 MAY 177954 fo Let i, 00 OGL -wminer in chetrs nea Foreign Office or in more. comfortable seats elsewhere. Hf gets around BURGESS and Maclean represent one of the great triumphs of the organisation to which Petrov belonged. Inevitably, many detatls about that triumph have passed from one Russian agent to another—even as far as Canberra, where Petrov had: been three months when Burgess and Maclean dis- appeared. Whether the details Petrov has passed on are , the truth or not, the Dally Express does not know, Does the Foreign Office know ? || ‘The one certainty ts that Petrov can tell the truth,| or.a good deal of it. Answer this charge FLOWEVER, before the Foreign Office pours tts next elegant sprinkling, of not-too-cold water on the Petrov story let it i pause to read the front) || page of the Daily Express: this morning. | There Chapman Pincher| ! says that the Foreign Office had been warned by M.L5,] months before Maclean fled, that Maclean was unreliable politically andi unstable emotionally, Yet, the Foreign Office, while acting on @ similar report! about Burgess, shelved this ne on Maclean. A grave charge Is made.) Is Chapman Pincher’s ' story true? If so, which officials in the Foreign! Office read M.I.5’s devasta-' ; dng report? And on what ' grounds did they take the ' Tesponstbility for ignoring it Questions that demand) late reply, —_— cB. By Lit: me PER FGIA Kgucoi JD Miss Gandy. Moe Nornehof