ACCESSION 
NUMBER:328140

FILE ID:EUR211

DATE:02/22/94

TITLE:U.S. PROTESTS ALLEGED ESPIONAGE (02/22/94)

TEXT:*94022211.EUR

1EUR211   02/22/94 *



U.S. PROTESTS ALLEGED ESPIONAGE

(Text: State Department statement)  (200)

Washington -- Following is the text of February 22 statement by Michael

McCurry, U.S. State Department spokesman:



(Begin text)

Secretary of State Warren Christopher today called in Vladimir

Chkhikvishivili, charge d'affairs of the Russian Federation's embassy in

Washington, to register a formal diplomatic protest over circumstances

surrounding the arrest of the U.S. government employee for alleged

espionage on behalf of the former Soviet Union and the Russian Federation.



Secretary Christopher met with Mr. Chkhikvishivili for about 10 minutes at

2:00 p.m. today and formally protested the actions of the Russian

intelligence service in engaging in the alleged espionage activities at

issue in this case.  Secretary Christopher underscored the seriousness with

which the United States views this matter and said that he wanted the

Russian government to know of his personal grave concern.  The charge

indicated that he would communicate the secretary's views to the Russian

government.



U.S. Ambassador Thomas Pickering also raised this case with senior Russian

officials tonight in Moscow, expressing the same concerns raised by the

secretary in his meeting.



(End text)

NNNN



.