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{ FTER four years of evasion, the Foreign. Offi yesterday admit d the truth about the two missing diplomats, Guy Burgess and Donald Maclean—they were Soviet spies working inside the Foreign Offic This dramatic admission about these two” ~~ men who vanished in 1951 follows revelations by Vladimir Petrov, former Soviet Embassy official in Australia. The story told by Petrov, who was given political asylum in Australia with his wife, was published by The People yesterday morning. And to questions based on his story, the Foreign Office gave these replies: @ Q.: Is there any truth in the statement that, in fact, both these men were long-term Soviet agents? .2 We believe this to be true, . COULDN'T STOP THEM @ Q.: Is it true, as stated by Petrov, that they were recruited jor intelligence work while they were spill t students at Cambridge 20 yefrs ago? A. That is what Mr. Petfov says and we have |no reason to doubt it. @ Q.: What of the passage in Petrov’s story which says: “In fact the reason for their flight was simple and urgent—they discovered that they were under investiga- tion by the British Security services”? Ax: It is true that Maclean was ‘under active investigation | gtaphed at the Embassy and by the security authorities. Bur- | quickly returned to Burgess. gess’ suitability for continued | | “Tae photographs were sent Foreign Service employment was | by courier in the diplomatic bag under investigation and he bad | #& Moscow.” already been withdrawn from! MACLEAN, who Is 42, was Washington. head of the American Depart- ut there was insufficient ment at the Foreign Office when eviqerice to warrant Maclean's he disappeared on May 25, 1951. arrgst, nor Were there powers 19 Bip GESs, now 44, was in prefent Uno men leaving hey ondon at that time awaiting 3 re-posting after being witherawn KNEW IT? as Second Secretary at the — ‘Washington Embassy. @ Qu: Is it considered likely that Two years after their disap- the diplomats had become, pearance Maclean's wile, jMrs. aware that they were under in- \ Melinda Maclean, disappqared vestigation by British 2ttelit= \from Geneva with her fhree gence and had reported the \children. It has been asspmed matter to their Soviet contact, \that she went to join herbhus- who arranged their flight? and behind the Tron Curtain. Au: We believe this to be cor- —_ rect. In his story PETROV says: “T can now disclose that beyond ali doubt. these two men regu- Janly supplied the Kremlin with ali the information they could jay their hands on as trusted servants of the Foreign Office.” And Petrov says that another Soviet, agent ealled Kisiytsin who vas at the London Embassy told Wm that he handled all the terial that Burgess supplie§. <islytsin said: ““I_ receiv brief-cases full of Foretgn Offi ‘documents, They were phot