MOSCOW AGAIN DEMANDS RELEASE OF FORMER SPY.

Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) warned again yesterday that it would retaliate if the U.S. refuses to release Vladimir Galkin, a former Soviet intelligence officer arrested in New York on October 29. While not specifying what actions the Russian agency might take, spokeswoman Tatyana Samolis said that "we don’t intend to leave Vladimir Galkin to the mercy of fate. Our patience is not unlimited and an appropriate response will not be long in coming." Her remarks followed what Samolis said was a meeting in the U.S. between representatives of the SVR and the FBI.

Following Galkin’s arrest two weeks ago SVR officials suggested that Moscow might arrest former U.S. intelligence personnel currently visiting Russia. In an article published in a Russian newspaper yesterday, a former top-ranking KGB officer pointed to former CIA officials now doing research in Russian archives as possible targets for retaliation. Like the SVR officials earlier, he argued that in arresting Galkin the U.S. had violated an unwritten agreement between espionage agencies in the two countries not to harass retired intelligence personnel. The FBI has accused Galkin of attempting to procure classified documents on the U.S. Strategic Defense Initiative. That incident reportedly occurred in Cyprus in 1991. (Reuter, Itar-Tass, November 10. See also Monitor, November 6)

Iraqi Foreign Minister in Moscow.