European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - August 17, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                The Case of the soviet double agent defector naw York times a soviet intelligence agent who defected Toile West last year provided  with important insights into mikhail3 Gorbachev and soviet policy Only week before Reagan met the soviet Leader in Geneva in november american officials say. The officials said the Detector a former Kab official named Oleg g Gordievsky. Had advised Washington that soviet leaders while relentless in trying to expand their nation s ill once were ready to bargain seriously Gordievsky the former London Lalion chief for the Kab the soviet intelligence and internal Security Agency and its highest ranking officer to remain in the Wesl also told american officials that while Washington had cause to worry about Moscow soviet readers were perhaps even More concerned about the directions taken by the Reagan administration. This complicated picture of soviet thinking came at a time when officials said Reagan was just beginning to emerge from his unclouded sense of the soviet Union As the Evit Empire " Gordievsky reinforced the views of other defectors such As Arkady n Shevchenko the former High level soviet official at the United nations who sought Asylum in 1978 to get this information and a personal impression of Gorbachev William j. Casey the director of the Cia flow secretly to London last fall to Meel with Gordievsky. Information provided by the defector then was used liberally in the Cia s profile of the soviet Leader prepared for Reagan before the Summit meeting sources said but. The sources said there was an important piece of information that gof Piyevsky provided to Hig British intelligence handlers in 1981 that London apparently did nol pass on to Washington for some Lima. Soviel leaders he told them believed that Reagan intended to order an attack against the Soviel Union or one of its close allies perhaps Cuba. But Reagan was said to have been apprised of this soviet belief by the time of Casey s visit. For More than 15 years. Gordievsky had been a double agent a spy Tor Britain and Lor a time. Denmark As Well he began spying or Britain while serving As a Junior Kab officer in Copenhagen Denmark in 1966, his first foreign assignment. His last Days As a double agent were marked by what sources said was one of the most creative and daring escapes from the soviet Union. Contrary to information made Public fast tall when Gordievsky s defection was announced by the British government he did no defect in Britain. In the argon of espionage his escape was a Clandestine Erfil Lvalion the sources said this was nol the first time that double agents had been smuggled Oul of the soviet Union. Information provided by Gordiy Viky since the Early 1970s seriously disc opted Kab activities in Buntain and Scandinavia sources said. His information also was Inspru mental 1hey said in the arrest and conviction of Arna tre Holl a norwegian former Diplomat who was sentenced to 20 years in prison Lor spying for the Soviel Union. Although it has been widely discussed in the British press the Story behind Gordievsky s Long career As a double agent and his defection continues to Asci Nale and perplex Western intelligence specialists the Case they say. Raises important questions about the nature of modern Day espionage by the great Powers. None of the current and former intelligence specialists interviewed raised serious doubts about Gordeyev by s authenticity As a double agent and defector. Bui they raised and tried to answer some of the mysteries about a career that has been closely guarded by British intelligence. Among the questions Are these Why did he choose to spy or the British Mi-6  Branch rather than the Cia or other Western intelligence organizations How did he fool Soviel intelligence for so Long or is in possible mat he masqueraded As a British agent while continuing to Steve the soviet Union what kind of information has he provided Over the years and what was is value perhaps most intriguing of All now did he escape from the soviet Union and Why despite Early press reports intelligence sources say Gordeyev Siviy at first worked exclusively As a double agent of Britain he was recruited by British intelligence they say during his diplomatic service Tor the soviet Union in Copenhagen in the late 1960s. Shortly Aller his defection danish officials indicated Hal gof Piyevsky also had worked directly of Denmark s intelligence sen ice from the Start but american governmental sources discount this. Britain they said knew that it could not oversee Gorr Piyevsky in Denmark without the logistical help of the danish government. That understanding later prompted British officials to reveal his identity to the Danes and permit them direct con lad with lha soviet official. Sometime during his years in Copenhagen american officials said. Gordievsky laced the Choice of whether to work for Mi-6 or he Cia. A former key intelligence official said there is substantial Competition Between Mi-6 and the Cia s Deputy directorate for operations which handles secret agents. He pointed out that the two agencies often vie for the same sources particularly in the Middle East where the agencies tried 1o steal each other s agents. Cia officials say that Over the years Many Kab agents have defected to the United states and worked with the Agency the agents chose lha United Stales the officials said because of their feeling that British intelligence had been penetrated Over the years by the Kab. This perception notwithstanding intelligence officials Heie said my had an International rope Latimor for High professionalism in handling spies. The reputation of the British intelligence services for sophistication and discretion is believed to be the chief reason Ger Dievsky decided to spy for the British rather than other intelligence services the sources said. Gordiy Ivsky. They said doubtless appreciated efforts to place him in the company of russian speaking British agents and to provide Tittle information to journalists after announcement of his defection. His treatment contrasted sharply with the american handling of Vitaly s. Yurchenko a Kab official of higher rank than Gordievsky who defected to the United states last year but Laler escaped front Cia custody and returned to Moscow. Yur Shefiko and other defectors who have been handled by the Cia have complained bitterly about american treatment saying that they were rarely allowed to Converse in russian and thai details of their escapes often were leaked by official sources. App tote Page 16 the stars and stripes Kab a former London to Taxon chief Olea g. Gord Loevsky Here with adm. Vladimir Suznov during a soviet naval visit in Copenhagen in 1976it thu highest ranking soviet intelligence officer to remain in Thweat sunday August 17,1986