Corvalan-Bukovsky exchange.

POLITBURO. Decision on the exchange of CORVALAN (feature photo) for BUKOVSKY (p. 1). Contains four other documents, Six pp (excerpt):

• INSTRUCTIONS to Soviet ambassadors in [1] Washington (A. Dobrynin) and [2] Bern, Switzerland (pp. 2-4);
• [3] draft EDICT concerning “the eviction of Bukovsky from the USSR” (p. 5); and
• [4] jointly signed SUBMISSION by Andropov, Gromyko and Ponomaryov (14 December 1976, 2816-A) about the timing and logistics of the exchange (p. 6) [R: 15 December 1976, Pb 38-46].

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[page six of six]

Top Secret

To the CPSU Central Committee

The Soviet ambassador in Washington reports that the Chilean authorities have agreed to transfer Comrade L[uis] Corvalan and his family to Geneva. The idea is that we shall hand over Bukovsky and his mother there as well.

The Chileans propose to make the exchange on 18 December this year (telegram No 3130 from Washington). We consider it expedient to give our agreement to this date.

It is desirable to send a representative of the Central Committee International Department to Geneva and a doctor.

A special plane should be provided to transport Comrade Corvalan from Geneva to the USSR. Bukovsky will be sent to Geneva on the same plane.

An edict concerning Bukovsky’s deportation from a penal institution to a place beyond the borders of the USSR should be adopted by the Presidium of the USSR Supreme Soviet before he is handed over to the Chilean side. This will permit Bukovsky’s transportation in custody to Geneva without the latter’s agreement. This has been agreed with the USSR Procurator’s Office ([Procurator-General] Comrade R.A. Rudenko).

A draft of the Edict is attached.

Please give this your consideration.

[Signed]

A. Gromyko [Minister of Foreign Affairs] Yu. Andropov [chairman of KGB] B. Ponomaryov [head of Central Committee International Department]

14 December 1976

No. 2816-A

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NOTES

The feature photo shows Corvalan before his face was ‘altered’.

“… Since 1983, it turned out, he had been living illegally in Chile after ‘changing his appearance’,” writes Bukovsky in Chapter 13: WITHDRAWAL WITHOUT RETREAT (13.1 “The Velvet Revolution”). Now … “Corvalan found himself stranded. He would have to return to the USSR, restore his appearance, and receive a legal passport”.

*

GENERAL

• 1. Notes by translator and editor are bracketed, thus [ ];
• 2. text written by hand is indicated in bold italic script.

Translation & Annotation, John Crowfoot

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