Office of the Historian

205. Telegram From Secretary of State Rusk to the Ambassador to the Soviet Union (Thompson)1

Washington, March 6, 1967.

For Ambassador from Secretary.

1.
Svetlana Iosifovna Stalin, daughter of Josef Stalin, walked into U.S. Embassy New Delhi 6 March with passport and luggage and requested political asylum. Signed request for asylum in U.S.
2.
Ambassador Bowles authorized issuance U.S. visa for sole purpose to permit Svetlana leave New Delhi and she departed shortly after midnight 6 March via Quantas flight to Rome. Embassy officer traveling on diplomatic passport accompanied her. She possesses open ticket from Rome to U.S. but has no reservations beyond Rome.
3.
Svetlana reported she arrived India 20 December 1966 accompanying ashes her deceased common law husband, Brajesh Singh, expatriate Indian who lived Moscow and worked for foreign languages publishing house. She said Brajesh Singh is uncle of Dinesh Singh with whom she spent last week prior arriving at U.S. Embassy New Delhi. Dinesh Singh is Secretary of State in Indian Foreign Office.
4.
Svetlana claims she came to India on one month visa but has made repeated attempts remain there, including appeals to Dinesh Singh and Mrs. Gandhi, all to no avail. 6 March she asked Soviet Ambassador Benediktov for permission remain but he flatly refused, insisted she return Moscow via Aeroflot on 8 March and told her she would not be allowed leave USSR again. She then came U.S. Embassy.
5.
Ambassador Reinhardt has been advised that we feel it would be undesirable for Svetlana to proceed to U.S., both politically and from point of view her security. We consider it urgent that every effort be made arrange other safer asylum in Switzerland, Spain or Italy and have asked Ambassador Reinhardt to make every effort to have her persuaded that such course in her best interest. When she agrees, we will approach the govt concerned prior to her formal application for permission to enter. Arrangements are being made with the Italians for her to remain there safely for period sufficient to enable us to work out the problem.2
6.
Request your immediate comments and suggestions. Our own feeling is that as soon as scenario is worked out we should frankly inform Soviets, probably through Dobrynin here, emphasing that this was a matter thrust upon us by circumstances and not of our own seeking.3

End of message.

  1. Source: Johnson Library, National Security File, Intelligence File, Svetlana Alliluyeva. Secret; Flash. Nothing on this telegram indicates how it was transmitted.↩
  2. Rusk briefed the President on the situation with Svetlana Alliluyeva in a telephone conversation that began at 4:03 p.m. on March 6. A recording of the conversation is ibid., Recordings and Transcripts, Tape F67.08, Side B, PNO 3.↩
  3. Thompson replied in a March 7 telegram to Rusk, stating that the “more we can disengage from this operation the better from point of view of our relations with Soviets. They will in any event blame U.S. for facilitating subject’s departure from India and possibly charge us with kidnapping.” (Johnson Library, National Security File, Intelligence File, Svetlana Alliluyeva)↩