European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 15, 1985, Darmstadt, Hesse Wood slatted lounge pack a ukrainian Beach at workers of la soviet world unite for a vacation in the Sun. The Kremlin s Keystone hops by Jack Redden United press International it was More like the Keystone kops than James Bond. A dozen secret police in Lou different cars careening along the twisting streets to Tail a foreign reporter. Men hiding in Bushes cars bristling with aerials the same face appearing in a dozen unlikely locations subtlety is not a hallmark of the soviet Kab secret police. Small Price of pay for in soviet Union it sounds like a graduating exercise for the latest Kab class a West european Diplomat joked a few Days after the Security Over kill in Baku the capital of the soviet Republic of Azerbaijan the Kab May not instill the same fear it did during the ruthless stalinist Era. But it is no less present. Phones Are tapped apartments watched and soviet citizens interrogated after talking with westerners. Foreigners living in the soviet Union take police surveillance for granted. Phone Calls to soviet friends Are made from telephones on the Street and highly personal or sensitive subjects Are never discussed inside the government assigned apartments. One curious Western reporter almost whispering in his living room said he once asked a Security expert to sweep his apartment Lor electronic listening devices. Result 16 microphones found in the Walls mostly in the Kitchen and bedroom. Control outside of the apartment is made easier by use of specially coloured and lettered licence plates on the cars a device by which the United states has now reciprocated to keep track of soviet diplomats. The cart of american reporters have yellow plates beginning with the designation "k-004" for the russian american diplomats have red licence plates marked "d-004." their cars can easily be spotted if they exceed the limit of 25 Miles from the Center of Moscow or even if visiting someone in the capital. Anyone buying an airline ticket soviet or foreigner must show identification papers giving the authorities firm control Over everyone s movement. That is undo Lrline when employees of the Only airline. Aeroflot. Personally escort foreigners to and from aircraft at each Slop. The surveillance continues at hotels with Only a few allowed to receive foreigners. A reporter arriving in the City of Dushanbe which has at least a score of hotels was ordered out on the next plane on the grounds there was no room at one. I thought a musician in the Southern City of Makhachkala said when told what hotel floor a reporter was on. Foreigners always stay on seven eight or nine the Quality of surveillance seems to vary widely. It would be much harder to spot someone following along the Busy streets of Moscow than the narrow turn of the Century roads of Baku. But they Ray also be More professional since the trailing Volga Sedan was once also a feature of a foreigner s me in Moscow. They must be much better in said a Veteran Western Diplomat i have never been conscious of being in contrast he told of visiting another russian City where he decided to search out some of the deserted orthodox churches that Dot this country. After bundling up and pulling on boots he headed Oil with a Kab car following. When he veered off across a Field. The police had no Choice but to emerge from their car and follow. The Diplomat looked Back to see his pursuers floundering. They were wearing shoes and were up to their Knees in the purpose of the surveillance is often As murky As the people doing it a Day after the heavy handed operation in Baku no one was following in Makhachkala and the reporter could wander freely. There May have been something important and secret underway in Baku that happened to coincide with the visit or it Ray just have been the a Anoia of a local Kab official a foreigner will probably never know. That s the Way it an actor in Baku said in a restaurant while an unmarked car with three men wailed outside. You re Over there and we re Over Here with the Iron curtain in 01 course it goes deeper than the cold War. The surveillance extends to Russia s own citizens on a scale unknown in the West and has roots going Back Long before the term Iron curtain appeared. The diplomatic corps and westerners in general have always been considered by this government with its byzantine spirit and by Russia As a whole As malevolent and jealous spies the French Marquis de Custine said. He wrote that in 1839. Sunday september 15, 1985 the stars and stripes Page 17
