Behind South Africa's spy swap

The South African government hopes its leading role in a major spy swap with the Soviet Union will to some extent improve its image with the West, Monitor correspondent Paul Van Slambrouck reports.

South Africa exchanged a Soviet intelligence agency (KGB) officer, Maj. Alexei Kozlov, for one South African serviceman and eight ''important Western intelligence agents'' at an unspecified location in Europe May 11.

In a statement announcing the exchange, South African Prime Minister Pieter W. Botha said the deal was clear proof of his government's pro-Western attitude. He trusted the gesture would not go unnoticed by Western governments that have ''. . . displayed a sharply hostile attitude towards our country.'' He was presumably referring to persistent overseas criticism of South Africa's segregationist racial policies.

The exchange also offered a timely opportunity for Mr. Botha to compliment South Africa's National Intelligence Service (NIS), which has come under a cloud with recent accusations that it was involved in last year's abortive coup attempt in the Seychelles. The NIS carried out negotiations with the KGB.

You've read  of  free articles. Subscribe to continue.
QR Code to Behind South Africa's spy swap
Read this article in
https://www.csmonitor.com/1982/0513/051329.html
QR Code to Subscription page
Start your subscription today
https://www.csmonitor.com/subscribe