Soviet Ransom Demand to Free Dissident Told
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BONN — The West German newspaper Bild said Tuesday that a deal for the release of Soviet dissident Anatoly Shcharansky is being held up by a Soviet demand for about $2 million.
West German Chancellor Helmut Kohl, speaking at a luncheon in Bonn, acknowledged the negotiations but said he does not want to “destroy the exchange” by commenting on them. “Because the issue is not to produce news but to help people,” he said, “I will restrain myself. There have always been spy exchanges, and therefore it happens today as well.”
Optimism about the chances of an exchange also came from East Germany, where a statement issued by the Foreign Ministry said “the exchange will take place at the beginning of next week.” It gave no further details.
The Bild report said the Kremlin has imposed new conditions for a swap, demanding “around 5 million marks” (just over $2 million) in exchange for Shcharansky.
Another Dissident Involved
Moscow is also insisting that the West release 11 jailed high-ranking East Bloc spies instead of the eight originally discussed, Bild said. In return, the Soviets will free Shcharansky, fellow dissident Boris Kalandariov and a group of Western agents being held in East Bloc countries, Bild added.
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