KGB memorandum to the Central Committee. About the intentions of ‘anti-Soviet elements’ to hold an international seminar on “The KGB and Perestroika” in Moscow [Russian: 27 Jul 88, 1541-K], 2 pp.

=============================

[page one of two]

Top Secret

27 July 1988, No 1541-K

To the CPSU Central Committee

The intention of anti-social elements to hold
an international seminar in Moscow “The KGB and perestroika”

According to information received, anti-social elements from among the so-called “rights activists” and Jewish nationalists, incited from abroad, are planning to hold an international seminar in Moscow during the first ten days in December on the subject of “The KGB and perestroika”.

Hiding behind the process of glasnost and perestroika, the organisers of the seminar have the goal of “discrediting the USSR Committee for State Security” by drawing the attention of wide circles among Soviet and world public opinion to its “activities and crimes”. In particular it is proposed to hold a public discussion of such reports: “The function of the KGB in the epoch of New Thinking”, “The role of the KGB in crisis situations”, “Monopoly on information”, “Overcoming mystery and fear when faced by the KGB”, “The KGB and the national-democratic movement in the USSR”, and “The KGB and anti-Semitism”. Such organisations as Amnesty International and the International Helsinki Federation, which have demonstrated their abilities as “defenders of human rights in the socialist countries”, are being considered as possible sponsors.

It is intended to invite famous Western political figures and Sovietologists, including Z. Brzezinski and R. Pipes, and also former citizens of our country Alexeyeva,

——————————————————

[page two]

Bukovsky, Ginzburg, Orlov, Plyushch and others who are engaged in anti-Soviet activities abroad. It is proposed that the following will take part: well-known “rights activists” such as Grigoryants and Timofeyev, and representatives of the “national-democratic” movements of Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Moldavia, the Baltic republics and Ukraine, “authorities” from among the Crimean Tatars and religious figures.

The organisers of the seminar intend to send invitations to Chebrikov, Kryuchkov, [Procurator General] Sukharev, and the head of the Visa and Registration Department at the Ministry of Internal Affairs; and to USSR People’s Deputies Adamovich, Afanasyev, Vlasov, Gdlyan, Ivanov, Korotich, the writer Semenov, the poet Dementyev, former KGB chairmen Semichastny and Shelepin, the Russophiles Andreyeva and [illegible] and also to the chief editor of “Moscow News”, and to the TV programmes Vzglyad and Fifth Wheel”.

The Committee has taken additional measures to obtain information about the scale and character of the proposed operation and its possible damage to our country.

For information.

===========================

NOTES

[1] See the reaction to an event planned for the same time a year earlier (4 December 1987*, 2451-Ch), giving detail of the actions taken in response.

General

• Notes by translator and editor are bracketed, thus [ ];
• text written by hand is indicated in italic script;
• when a handwritten phrase, figure or word has been inserted in a previously typed document this is indicated by underlined italic script.

Translation, John Crowfoot