33. Telegram From the Consulate in Germany to the Department of State1
14143. Subject: Sukhodrev Bilateral Talks, August 25–26: Soviet Disinformation.
1. Confidential—Entire text.
2. Begin summary: The last issue discussed during the Simons-Sukhodrev talks on August 26 was the question of Soviet disinformation, beginning with its effect on bilateral cooperation in the field of health. Simons commented first on the complicated nature of US–USSR cooperation in health, remarking that the U.S. side is pleased to note that our bilateral cooperation is expanding into areas with great potential benefits for the international medical community. He then identified the political problems that have prevented greater cooperation, delivering a detailed and forceful description of the specific disinformation campaigns that serve as an obstacle to mutually beneficial efforts. Sukhodrev’s response was limited to repeated claims that Soviet media are no longer subject to government control and simply repeat allegations made by the foreign press. Simons said this response was unsatisfactory: Either Sukodrev’s claims are untrue, or, if true, they suggest widespread anti-American feeling among Soviet editors and other officials, among whom he singled out Novosti head Valentin Falin. End summary.
3. In August 26 discussion on bilateral issues with Soviet MFA USA/Canada Department Acting Director Sukhodrev, EUR DAS Simons made it clear that the U.S. would simply not be able to engage in otherwise potentially useful cooperation on AIDS research with the Soviets as long as Soviet media continue to publish scurrilous and completely unacceptable allegations about the origin of AIDS. While expressing appreciation for recent Soviet efforts to halt the spread of the deadly disease, and acknowledging the publication of numerous articles by responsible Soviet scientists pointing to the natural origin of AIDS, Simons remarked that the U.S. deeply regrets the concerted disinformation campaign and the resulting politicization of the AIDS crisis. In his initial response, Sukhodrev described his pleasure with the fact that U.S. officials had noticed the many articles by responsible Soviet experts, and described recent Soviet Government efforts to stop the spread of the disease, including a new law on AIDS announced [Page 86] on August 25 (content of Izvestiya article entitled “On Measures to Prevent Infections by the Virus AIDS” will be reported septel). In confronting our allegations about a concerted AIDS disinformation campaign, Sukhodrev denied that such a campaign exists and claimed that the stories did not originate in the USSR but had simply been picked up from the foreign press and reprinted in the Soviet Union. Sukhodrev elaborated his position by commenting on the current lack of control over the press, which he claimed is now free to publish almost anything it desires, and blamed the presence of anti-American AIDS articles on a newly-developed thirst for sensationalism in Soviet media. In an attempt to prove his point, Sukhodrev cited the existence of real debate on political and economic issues between leading publications like Izvestiya and Ogonek, and criticisms of Pravda articles not only in other media but also in Pravda itself.
4. At this point the pace picked up considerably as Simons delivered a detailed, point-by-point presentation on Soviet disinformation efforts to date. The following specific cases were discussed in a frank and forceful manner:
—The publication of 32 separate articles (by U.S. count) in the Soviet press blaming U.S. biological warfare experiments for the creation of AIDS from January through August 8, 1987 alone.
—The publication of allegations that the U.S. had deliberately microwaved British protesters at the Greenham Commons Military Facility, resulting in hair loss, fainting and miscarriages.
—The publication of a book by the Soviet Ministry of Justice alleging that the CIA was behind the murder of former Swedish Prime Minister Olof Palme and the slaughter of more than 900 American citizens in Jonestown, Guyana.
—The printing of allegations that U.S. citizens are adopting Latin American children in order to use their body parts for transplant operations.
—Allegations that the U.S. has developed an ethnic bomb that only affects non-whites, including one by CPSU CC candidate member and Novosti Director Valentin Falin in a June interview reported by Izvestiya. (Simons asked if Falin was out of control; Sukhodrev replied jocularly that this was why he was no longer at the MFA.)
5. At various points during Simons’ presentation, Sukhodrev further elaborated his defense of the Soviet postion. In short, Sukhodrev attempted to convince the U.S. delegation that, under Glasnost, there is simply no way to prevent the Soviet press from reprinting foreign allegations about U.S. activities. He claimed that Soviet editors now have the freedom and responsibility to print what they choose, with no possibility of control on the part of the MFA Press Department. [Page 87] When faced with evidence that official Soviet individuals (like Falin) and institutions (like the Ministry of Justice) had been involved in the disinformation campaign, Sukhodrev was unable to counter effectively and simply expressed doubt about the accuracy of Simons’ information or attempted to blame incidents on specific individuals. As a general form of rebuttal, Sukhodrev alleged that the Soviet side could easily draw up an even thicker dossier of negative reporting on the Soviet Union by the United States, implying that the Soviets had long suffered such abuse together with official U.S. comments on the freedom of the press, and that now the U.S. would simply have to get used to the degree of freedom currently enjoyed by the Soviet press.
6. Simons politely but firmly rejected Sukhodrev’s claim that the Soviet disinformation campaign could be attributed to a free press, and reminded the Soviet delegation of the serious damage such activities can cause. Simons also remarked that, if the publication of inflammatory allegations on AIDS does not represent a government-orchestrated disinformation campaign, then it most surely reflects a strong anti-American feeling on the part of Soviet editors and other officials, contrary to longstanding Soviet denial that anti-Americanism exists here. Simons urged the Soviets to take a more constructive position on this issue, suggesting that the Soviet Union follow the USG practice of issuing official denials and/or corrections in response to the publication of inaccurate information in the U.S. press. He referred in particular to the natural origin of AIDS. Sukhodrev responded by repeating his earlier position, focusing on the need for the U.S. to understand the new freedoms of the Soviet press.
7. Despite obduracy, the Soviet delegation took careful notes throughout the exchange.
- Source: Department of State, Central Foreign Policy File, D870708–0607. Confidential. Sent for information to USIA. Text is from telegram 13845, August 26, from Moscow.↩