DATE=11/30/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=RUSSIA / U-S ESPIONAGE (L)
NUMBER=2-256664
BYLINE=PETER HEINLEIN
DATELINE=MOSCOW
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Russia has accused a U-S diplomat of trying to
steal military secrets, adding a further complication
to the already troubled relationship between Moscow
and Washington. V-O-A's Peter Heinlein in Moscow
reports the incident comes at a time of growing anti-
American sentiment in Russia.
TEXT: Russia's Federal Security Service, known as the
F-S-B, says a young U-S diplomat from the U-S embassy
in Moscow was caught Monday trying to obtain "military
and strategic information" from a Russian citizen.
The F-S-B, the main successor agency of the Soviet K-
G-B, did not release the diplomat's name. But the
semi-official Interfax news agency identified her as
33-year old Cheri Leberknight, a junior officer in the
U-S embassy's political-military section. The state-
run television service showed her photograph.
In an interview broadcast on Russian television, F-S-B
spokesman Alexander Zdanovich said the woman was
briefly detained, then turned over to embassy
officials. But he said the F-S-B had confiscated
equipment used in espionage.
/// ZDANOVICH ACT ONE - IN RUSSIAN - FADE
UNDER ///
He says, "We confiscated a detailed map of the meeting
place, along with some special equipment for listening
to conversations of people who might be following her,
and some tablets for secret writing."
A U-S embassy spokesman would neither confirm nor deny
the incident, and referred all questions to the State
Department.
News reports immediately noted that the incident came
the same day as the announcement in Washington that a
U-S Navy petty officer had been charged with spying
for Russia. But F-S-B spokesman Zdanovich denied
there was any connection.
/// ZDANOVICH ACT TWO - IN RUSSIAN - FADE
UNDER ///
He says, "These are the words reminiscent of the Cold
War period, when the principle of `an eye for an eye'
was in effect." He says "We had no idea there would
be any publication in the U-S media about someone
supposedly working for the Russian side."
Earlier, Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov tried to
play down the significance of the incident.
/// IVANOV ACT - IN RUSSIAN - FADE UNDER
///
He says, "We are hopeful this incident will not
affect the development of bilateral ties, although of
course, such episodes do not promote the improvement
in the climate of our relationship."
Observers in Moscow say this may be only the second
incident of a U-S diplomat being charged with
espionage since the end of the Cold War. One Russian
analyst linked the episode to the surge of anti-
American sentiment that has risen in the wake of
events such as NATO's eastward expansion, the Kosovo
crisis, and the fierce Western criticism of Russia's
current military campaign in Chechnya. (Signed)
NEB/PFH/JWH/JP
30-Nov-1999 11:00 AM EDT (30-Nov-1999 1600 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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