Word: izvestia
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Name That Tune. Nettled by similar unkindnesses perpetrated by the BBC, the Soviets last week struck back at their Western tormentors. An article in the government newspaper Izvestia charged the BBC with "involvement in the most seamy operations" of British agents operating in Eastern European nations. One ploy, Izvestia reported, was to play certain tunes at prearranged times, thus enabling a British spy to forecast such events and so prove to local recruits that he was a bona fide spook. The BBC dismissed the charges as ridiculous, and in its own sly way mocked the paper's paranoia...
...Russians were equally adamant in defending the buildup of their fleet in the Mediterranean (see following story). "The Soviet Union is known to be a Black Sea and, hence, Mediterranean power," the government newspaper Izvestia proclaimed, declaring that Soviet ships were in the Mediterranean to stay. In Red Star, the organ of the Soviet Defense Ministry, Vice Admiral Nikolai Smirnov said it was "imperative for the Soviet Union, in the interests of security," to strengthen its fleet. The presence of Soviet ships in the Mediterranean, the admiral wrote, "does not allow the Sixth Fleet to carry out the Pentagon...
Breast beating is common enough in Izvestia. But what was the problem that aggravated the Russians this time? The disappointing showing of Soviet athletes at last month's Olympic Games. The final medal standings at the Mexico City games showed the U.S. with 45 gold, 28 silver and 34 bronze for a total of 107, compared with Russia's 29 gold, 32 silver, 30 bronze and a total of 91. Track and field was an utter debacle for the Russians, who managed to win only three events while the U.S. was winning 15. Every bit as embarrassing...
Downright Scurrilous. Not everyone approves of Schiller, of course. In recent weeks, both Izvestia and French Foreign Minister Michel Debré have accused West Germany of economic aggression. Partly because of the recent recession, the country will spend about $4 billion less for imports this year than other nations will spend for German goods. That only increases the strength of the mark at the expense of the pound and the dollar...
...Russians also kept up what is developing into practically a weekly habit: either scaring or putting off balance yet another neighbor. Recently Rumania, Yugoslavia, West Germany and Austria have all received the treatment. This time it was Finland's turn. On the same day that Izvestia charged that West Germany was menacing Finland, who should arrive for a three-day visit but Soviet Premier Aleksei Kosygin. Afterward President Urho Kekkonen tried to reassure the Finns that the Russian premier had come only to allay any Finnish uneasiness...