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    "title": "Pentecostals – USSR (2)",
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        "Records of the National Security Council, Directorate of European and Soviet Affairs (Reagan Administration)",
        "Jack F. Matlock, Jr.'s Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (U.S.S.R.) Subject Files"
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    "ocrText": "Ronald Reagan Presidential Library\nDigital Library Collections\nThis is a PDF of a folder from our textual collections.\nCollection: Matlock, Jack F.: Files\nFolder Title: Pentecostals - USSR (2)\nBox: 30\nTo see more digitized collections visit:\nhttps://reaganlibrary.gov/archives/digital-library\nTo see all Ronald Reagan Presidential Library inventories visit:\nhttps://reaganlibrary.gov/document-collection\nContact a reference archivist at: [email protected]\nCitation Guidelines: https://reaganlibrary.gov/citing\nNational Archives Catalogue: https://catalog.archives.gov/\nWITHDRAWAL SHEET\nRonald Reagan Library\nCollection Name MATLOCK, JACK: FILES\nWithdrawer\nJET 5/17/2005\nFile Folder\nUSSR-PENTACOSTALS 2/4\nFOIA\nF06-114/9\nBox Number\n30\nYARHI-MILO\n3007\nID Doc Type\nDocument Description\nNo of Doc Date Restrictions\nPages\n10596 MEMO\nSTEARMAN TO CLARK RE PRESIDENTIAL\n1 1/27/1982 B1\nLETTER TO THE PENTECOSTALISTS\nR 3/24/2011 F2006-114/9\n10599 CABLE\n261851Z JAN 82\n2 1/26/1982 B1\nR\n3/24/2011\nF2006-114/9\n10597 MEMO\nCLARK TO PRESIDENT RE BREZHNEV'S\n1 1/29/1982 B1\nANSWER TO YOUR LETTER IN SUPPORT OF\nTHE PENTECOSTALISTS IN EMBASSY\nMOSCOW\nR\n3/24/2011\nF2006-114/9\n10600 MEMO\nBREMER TO CLARK RE BREZHNEV'S\n1 1/22/1982 B1\nANSWER TO THE PRESIDENT'S LETTER IN\nSUPPORT OF THE PENTECOSTALISTS IN\nEMBASSY MOSCOW\nR\n3/24/2011\nF2006-114/9\n10601 LETTER\nUNOFFICIAL TRANSLATION BREZHNEV TO\n2\nND\nB1\nPRESIDENT REAGAN\nR\n3/24/2011\nF2006-114/9\n10602 MEMO\nSAME TEXT AS DOC #10600\n1\nND\nB1\nR\n3/24/2011\nF2006-114/9\n10603 LETTER\nSAME TEXT AS DOC #10601\n2 1/21/1982 B1\nR\n3/24/2011\nF2006-114/9\nFreedom of Information Act - [5 U.S.C. 552(b)]\nB-1 National security classified information [(b)(1) of the FOIA]\nB-2 Release would disclose internal personnel rules and practices of an agency [(b)(2) of the FOIA]\nB-3 Release would violate a Federal statute [(b)(3) of the FOIA]\nB-4 Release would disclose trade secrets or confidential or financial information [(b)(4) of the FOIA]\nB-6 Release would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy [(b)(6) of the FOIA]\nB-7 Release would disclose information compiled for law enforcement purposes [(b)(7) of the FOIA]\nB-8 Release would disclose information concerning the regulation of financial institutions [(b)(8) of the FOIA]\nB-9 Release would disclose geological or geophysical information concerning wells [(b)(9) of the FOIA]\nC. Closed in accordance with restrictions contained in donor's deed of gift.\nWITHDRAWAL SHEET\nRonald Reagan Library\nCollection Name MATLOCK, JACK: FILES\nWithdrawer\nJET 5/17/2005\nFile Folder\nUSSR-PENTACOSTALS 2/4\nFOIA\nF06-114/9\nBox Number\n30\nYARHI-MILO\n3007\nID Doc Type\nDocument Description\nNo of Doc Date Restrictions\nPages\n10604 LETTER\nPRESIDENT REAGAN TO BREZHEV\n1\nND\nB1\nR\n3/24/2011\nF2006-114/9\n10605 CABLE\n171514Z FEB 82\n8 1/17/1982 B1\nR\n3/24/2011\nF2006-114/9\n10606 CABLE\n261408Z FEB 82\n3 2/26/1982 B6\nPAR 3/24/2011\nF2006-114/9\n10608 CABLE\n161734Z NOV 82\n2 11/16/1982 B1\nR\n3/24/2011\nF2006-114/9\n10598 MEMO\nCLARK TO PRESIDENT REAGAN RE SOVIET\n1\nND\nB1\nMESSAGE ON EMBASSY PENTECOSTALISTS\nR 3/24/2011 F2006-114/9\n10607 MEMO\nSHULTZ TO PRESIDENT REAGAN RE\n2 2/28/1983 B1\nSOVIET MESSAGE ON EMBASSY\nPENTACOSTALISTS\nR\n3/24/2011\nF2006-114/9\nFreedom of Information Act - [5 U.S.C. 552(b)]\nB-1 National security classified information [(b)(1) of the FOIA]\nB-2 Release would disclose internal personnel rules and practices of an agency [(b)(2) of the FOIA]\nB-3 Release would violate a Federal statute [(b)(3) of the FOIA]\nB-4 Release would disclose trade secrets or confidential or financial information [(b)(4) of the FOIA]\nB-6 Release would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy [(b)(6) of the FOIA]\nB-7 Release would disclose information compiled for law enforcement purposes [(b)(7) of the FOIA]\nB-8 Release would disclose information concerning the regulation of financial institutions [(b)(8) of the FOIA]\nB-9 Release would disclose geological or geophysical information concerning wells [(b)(9) of the FOIA]\nC. Closed in accordance with restrictions contained in donor's deed of gift.\nI\nRipes.\nzi\nNational Security Council\nThe White House\nPackage # 0523\n82 2884 P6: 37.\nSEQUENCE TO\nACTION\nJohn Poindexter\n/\nHAS of SEEN\nBud McFarlane\n2\nJacque Hill\n3\nm\nJudge Clark\n4\nI\nJohn Poindexter\n5\nStaff Secretary\nSit Room\nI-Information A-Action\nDISTRIBUTION\nCY To VP\nShow CC\nCY To Meese\nShow CC\nCY To Baker\nShow CC\nCY To Deaver\nShow CC\nOther\nCOMMENTS\nORDE\n10596\nMW²\n0523\nMEMORANDUM\nNATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL\nINFORMATION\nJanuary 27, 1982\nCONFIDENTIAL\nOBE\nMEMORANDUM FOR WILLIAM P. CLARK\nFROM:\nWILLIAM L. STEARMAN VMI\nSUBJECT:\nPresidential Letter to the Pentecostalists\nThe President's letter to the two hunger striking\nPentecostalists (Tab I) was received by Embassy Moscow\nafter the two decided to resume taking liquids. The letter\nis being held in reserve and will not be read to them unless\nthey again resort to a life-threatening abstention from\nliquids.\nAttachment\nTab I\nPresident's letter to Pentecostalists\nCC: Richard Pipes\nMichael Guhin\nCONFIDENTIAL\nReview on 1/27/88\nDECLASSIFIED\nNLRR F06-114/9 10596\nBY KML NARA DATE 4/7/2011\n10599\n3\nCONF IDENTIAL\nNATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL\nMESSAGE CENTER\nPAGE 01 OF 02 SECSTATE WASHDC 0363\nDTG: 261851Z JAN 82 PSN: 046950\nEOB073\nAN001226\nTOR: 026/2050Z\nCSN: HCE256\nDISTRIBUTION: LORD-01 PIPE-01 STER-01 CLEV-01 /004 A1\nWHSR COMMENT: RED TAG\nN\n0\nWHTS ASSIGNED DISTRIBUTION:\nSIT: WPC MCF NAN JP VP SIT EOB\nD\nEOB:\nI\nS\nOP IMMED\nDE ruehc #0363 0261904\nO 261851Z JAN 82 ZFF6\nFM SECSTATE WASHDC\nDECLASSIFIED\nTO AMEMBASSY MOSCOW IMMEDIATE 0490\nN\nNLRR F06-114/9 # 10599\nINFO USMISSION GENEVA IMMEDIATE 9956\n0\nSTATE 020363\nBY KML NARA DATE 4/7/2011\nD\nNODIS\nGENEVA FOR AMB HARTMAN AND DAS SCANLAN\nS\nE.O. 12065: RDS-3 01/25/02 (HOLMES, H. ALLEN)\nTAGS: SREF, SHUM, UR, US\nSUBJECT:\nPRESIDENTIAL LETTER TO THE PENTECOSTALISTS\nREF: MOSCOW 869\nN\n0\n1. CONFIDENTIAL ENTIRE TEXT. )\nD\n2. PROVIDED BELOW IS THE TEXT OF THE LETTER THE\nPRESIDENT HAS AUTHORIZED TO BE DELIVERED TO THE HUNGER\nS\nSTRIKING PENTECOSTALISTS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PLAN\nOUTLINED IN REFTEL.\n3. BEGIN TEXT. DEAR AUGUSTINA AND LTDIYA:\nI WANT YOU TO KNOW OF MY DEEP PERSONAL CONCERN FOR YOUR\nHEALTH AND YOUR LIVES, WHICH NOW ARE PLACED IN EXTREME\nN\nJEOPARDY BY THE HUNGER STRIKE YOU HAVE UNDERTAKEN. MY\n0\nDISTRESS IS SHARED BY YOUR MANY OTHER FRIENDS AND\nWELL-WISHERS HERE IN THE UNITED STATES AND ELSEWHERE\nD\nTHROUGHOUT THE WORLD, WHO JOTN ME IN URGING YOU TO\nABANDON THIS COURSE BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE.\nPLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT YOU AND THE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE\nS\nVASHCHENKO AND CHMYKHALOV FAMILIES ARE NOT ALONE AS YOU\nPURSUE YOUR BRAVE AND DETERMINED EFFORT FOR\nEMIGRATION. THOSE WHO WORK ON YOUR BEHALF, AND I HAVE\nLONG COUNTED MYSELF AMONG THEM, ARE MANY, AND THEIR\nEFFORTS ARE UNFLAGGING.\nSINCE BECOMING PRESIDENT, I HAVE DIRECTED MY\nADMINISTRATION TO DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO ASSIST YOU\nIN REACHING YOUR GOAL. WE HAVE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH\nSOVIET OFFICIALS AT HIGH LEVELS TO seek RESOLUTION OF\nTHIS QUESTION. I REMAIN COMMITTED TO SEEKING YOUR\nEMIGRATION, AS WELL AS THAT OF THE OTHER MEMBERS OF\nYOUR FAMILY AND THE CHMYKHOLOV FAMILY. I AM DETERMINED\nTO CONTINUE OUR EFFORTS, AND AM HOPEFUL THAT A SOLUTION\nCAN BE FOUND.\nI ASK YOU NOT TO LOSE FAITH BUT TO TAKE HEART FROM THE\nSINCERE COMMITMENT OF YOUR MANY SUPPORTERS. I URGE YOU\nCONF IDENTIAL\n4\nCONFIDENTIAL\nNATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL\nMESSAGE CENTER\nPAGE 02 OF 02 SECSTATE WASHDC ø363\nDTG: 261851Z JAN 82 PSN: 046950\nTO ABANDON YOUR HUNGER STRIKE, AND TO CONTINUE YOUR\nCOURAGEOUS COURSE, A STRUGGLE THAT IS AN INSPIRATION TO\nALL WHO value RELIGIOUS FREEDOM AND INDIVIDUAL HUMAN\nN\nRIGHTS. SINCERELY, RONALD REAGAN. END TEXT.\n0\nSTOESSEL\nBT\nD\nI\nS\nN\n0\nD\nI\nS\nN\n0\nD\nI\nS\nN\n0\nD\nI\nS\nCONFIDENTIAL\nCONFIDENTIAL\nPipes\n410\nMEMORANDUM\nRentecated\nTHE WHITE HOUSE\n10597\nThe President has seen\nWASHINGTON\nCONFIDENTIAL\nJanuary 29, 1982\nINFORMATION\nMEMORANDUM FOR THE PRESIDENT\nFROM:\nWILLIAM P. CLARK up\nSUBJECT:\nBrezhnev's Answer to Your Letter in Support of\nthe Pentecostalists in Embassy Moscow\nBrezhnev's response to your message of January 15 petulantly\nrejects any responsibility for the fate of the Pentecostalists\npresently given refuge at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow. Brezhnev\naccuses us of \"detaining\" the Russians and inciting them to\nviolate Soviet laws. \"The entire responsibility for the existing\nsituation rests on the U.S. side\", he concludes. In this\nconnection he alludes to the case of the Polovchak boy, who\nhas refused to return with his parents from this country to the\nSoviet Union, accusing us of \"forcefully separating him from his\nparents\". (C)\nThere is in this response (Tab A) no hint of an ability either to\nface reality or to show normal human feelings. (C)\nI concur with State that no further initiatives concerning the\nPentecostalists should be undertaken until we have the results\nof the Secretary's meeting with Gromyko in Geneva. (C)\nAttachment:\nTab A\nState's translation of the Brezhnev letter of\nJanuary 22\nCONFIDENTIAL\nReview January 26, 1988\nDECLASSIFIED\nNLRRE06-114/9 #10597 10597\nBY KML NARA DATE 4/7/2011\nCONFIDENTIAL\nCR.\n10600\n10\n6\nS/S 8201562\n410\ndepartment OF STATE\nTHE\nWashington, D.C. 20520\nJanuary 22p 1982\n22 PII 13\nCONFIDENTIAL\nMEMORANDUM FOR WILLIAM P. CLARK\nSITU\nTHE WHITE HOUSE\nSubject: Brezhnev's Answer to the President's Letter in\nSupport of the Pentecostalists in Embassy Moscow\nOn January 22, Soviet Minister-Counselor Bessmertnykh\ndelivered to Acting Assistant Secretary for European Affairs\nScanlan Brezhnev's response to the President's letter regarding\nthe Pentecostalists in Embassy Moscow. A translation of the\nletter is attached.\nThe position taken by Brezhnev reflects no change in the\nSoviet position. The one positive note of the letter is\nBrezhnev's reiteration of the assurance that the families will\nnot be prosecuted should they leave the Embassy and return to\nChernogorsk. The letter concludes by criticizing the U.S.\nposition on the Polovchak case (the Ukrainian boy who refused\nto return to the USSR with his parents). In answer to a\nquestion, Bessmertnykh said that the reference to Polovchak\nrepresented a \"philosophical\" rather than a \"practical\" linkage.\nWe think that no further initiatives concerning the\nPentecostalists should be undertaken until we have the results\nof the Secretary's meeting with Gromyko in Geneva on Tuesday.\nL. Paul Bremer, III\nExecutive Secretary\nAttachment:\nTranslation of Brezhnev Response\nDECLASSIFIED\nNLRR RRF06-114/9#10600\nBY KML NARA DATE 4/7/2011\nCONF IDENTIAL\nGDS 1/22/88\n10601\n7\nDECLASSIFIED\nNLRR #10601\nUnofficial translation\nBY KML NARA DATE 4/7/2011\nDear Mr. President,\nWith regard to your communication of January 15, 1982, I\nwould like to say the following.\nThe people whom you are petitioning for have really found\nthemselves in a situation not to be envied. After all, this\nsituation was created and has long been maintained in an\nartificial manner. A way out of it could have been found a\nlong time ago. At the present time, too, it is possible to\nresolve this question.\nThe only thing needed is that the US side rather than\ndetain those people within the walls of its Embassy, take\nmeasures for them to leave it. Nothing stands in the way of\nsuch a step - nobody intended or intends to prosecute that\ngroup of pentecostalists.\nAs to their departure from the USSR, this question can be\nconsidered in accordance with the procedure established under\nour laws and equally applicable to all Soviet citizens, after\nthose persons return to the place of their residence.\nHowever, the group of the sect members that happened to be\nin the US Embassy is being pushed for some reason or another in\na different direction - toward violation of the Soviet laws,\nsetting forth prior conditions and all sorts of demands that\ncan lead only to an impasse. Thus, the entire responsibility\nfor the existing situation rests with the US side, including\nthe responsibility of humanitarian nature.\nWe are not the ones to be called upon to exercise\nhumaneness. For that matter, the references to humaneness are\nnot convincing, while, in fact, attempts are being made to\nmanipulate the destinies of individuals and not only those of\nthe sect members who are kept in the US Embassy.\nWhat kind of humaneness can one invoke, when the children\nare forcefully separated from their parents, as is the case\nwith the Soviet citizens Polovchaks? Indeed, when even an\nAmerican court rules to return Vladimir Polovchak - a minor -\nto his parents and the US executive authorities are raising\nobstacles thereto, it is not simply inhumane but immoral.\nI would like to believe that on the part of the US side\nnecessary measures will be taken to discontinue the abnormal\nsituation existing around the group of Soviet citizens who find\nthemselves in the US Embassy in Moscow.\nSincerely,\nL. Brezhnev\nJanuary 21, 1982\n9\nNational Security Council\nThe White House\nRECEIVED Package # 410\n82 JAN29 P 5: 04\nSEQUENCE TO\nHAS SEEN\nACTION\nJohn Poindexter\nBud McFarlane\nJacque Hill\nJudge Clark\nJohn Poindexter\nStaff Secretary\n2\nSit Room\nI-Information A-Action\nDISTRIBUTION\nCY To VP\nShow CC\nCY To Meese\nShow CC\nCY To Baker\nShow CC\nCY To Deaver\nShow CC\nOther\nCOMMENTS\nNational Security Council\nThe White House\nPackage # 0410\n82 27 A 8 : 39\nACTION\nJohn Poindexter\nSEQUENCE TO HAS H SEEN\n/\nBud McFarlane\n2\nM\nJacque Hill\n3\n4\ng\nJudge Clark\nA\nJohn Poindexter\n5\nStaff Secretary\nSit Room\nI-Information A-Action\nDISTRIBUTION\nCY To VP\nShow CC\nCY To Meese\nShow CC\nCY To Baker\nShow CC\nCY To Deaver\nShow CC\nOther\nCOMMENTS\n\" MW\n410\nMEMORANDUM\nNATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL\nCONFIDENTIAL\nJanuary 26, 1982\nACTION\nMEMORANDUM FOR WILLIAM P. CLARK\nFROM:\nRICHARD PIPES\nto\nSUBJECT:\nBrezhnev Response to President's Letter re the\nPentecostalists at U.S. Embassy Moscow\nAttached at Tab I is a memorandum from you to the President\nforwarding State's translation of Brezhnev's letter of\nJanuary 22 regarding the Pentecostalists at the U.S. Embassy\nin Moscow.\n(C)\nRECOMMENDATION\nThat you sign the memorandum to the President at Tab I.\nApprove\nDisapprove\nAttachments:\nTab I\nMemorandum to the President\nTab A\nState's memorandum with translation, dated\nJanuary 22, 1982.\nCONFIDENTIAL\nReview January 26, 1988.\nDECLASSIFIED\nBy CVS CVS\nWhite House Guidelines, NARA, Date August 7/29/02 28, 1997\nTime Stamp\nn\nWHSR\nROUTE SLIP\n82 JAN 22 P 9 : 22\nSTAFF\nC/O\nWHITE HOUSE\nSITUATION ROOM\nClark\nNance\nC\nColson\nC\nPoindexter C\nV\nU\nMcFARLANE\nC\nItal foraction\nNSC S/S\nC = Copy\nO : Original\n13\nNATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL\nTHE WHITE HOUSE\nPackage #\n7\n02\nTO\nSEEN\nJANET COLSON\nBUD NANCE\nJOHN POINDEXTER\nJACQUE HILL\nJUDGE CLARK\nJANET COLSON\nDISTRIBUTION\nCY TO VP\nSHOW CC\nCY TO MEESE\nSHOW CC\nCY TO BAKER\nSHOW CC\nCY TO DEAVER\nSHOW CC\nOTHER\nCOMMENTS\nSTATE\nWASHER RECEIPT\nDEPARTMENT OF STATE\n82 JAI 22 P 8 : 13\nand\nB\nS\nS/S #\nMESSAGE NO.\n01595 CLASSIFICATION CONFIDENTIAL\nNo. Pages\n3\nFROM: L.P. Bremer, III\nS/S\n22540\n7224\n(Officer name)\n(Office symbol)\n(Extension)\n(Room number)\nMESSAGE DESCRIPTION\nBnemer-Clark re Brezhnev's Answer to the President\nLetter in Support of the Pentecostalists in Embassy Moscow\nTO: (Agency)\nDELIVER TO:\nExtension\nRoom No.\nNSC\nAdmiral Nance\n456-2255\nFOR:\nCLEARANCE\nINFORMATION\nXX\nPER REQUEST\nCOMMENT\nREMARKS:\nS/S Officer:\n&\nDECLASSIFIED\nDepartment of State Guidelines, July 21, 1997\nBy CVJ NARA, Date 7/29/02\nS/S 8201542\nis\n10602\nEPARTMENT OF STATE\nWashington, D.C. 20520\nCONFIDENTIAL\nMEMORANDUM FOR WILLIAM P. CLARK\nTHE WHITE HOUSE\nSubject: Brezhnev's Answer to the President's Letter in\nSupport of the Pentecostalists in Embassy Moscow\nOn January 22, Soviet Minister-Counselor Bessmertnykh\ndelivered to Acting Assistant Secretary for European Affairs\nScanlan Brezhnev's response to the President's letter regarding\nthe Pentecostalists in Embassy Moscow. A translation of the\nletter is attached.\nThe position taken by Brezhnev reflects no change in the\nSoviet position. The one positive note of the letter is\nBrezhnev's reiteration of the assurance that the families will\nnot be prosecuted should they leave the Embassy and return to\nChernogorsk. The letter concludes by criticizing the U.S.\nposition on the Polovchak case (the Ukrainian boy who refused\nto return to the USSR with his parents). In answer to a\nquestion, Bessmertnykh said that the reference to Polovchak\nrepresented a \"philosophical\" rather than a \"practical\" linkage.\nWe think that no further initiatives concerning the\nPentecostalists should be undertaken until we have the results\nof the Secretary's meeting with Gromyko in Geneva on Tuesday.\nL. Paul Bremer, III\nExecutive Secretary\nAttachment:\nTranslation of Brezhnev Response\nDECLASSIFIED\nNLRRE06-114/9*10602\nCONF IDENTIAL\nGDS 1/22/88\nBY KML NARA DATE 4/7/2011\n10603\n16\nDECLASSIFIED\nNLRRF06-114/9*10603\nUnofficial translation\nBY KML NARA DATE 4/7/2011\nDear Mr. President,\nWith regard to your communication of January 15, 1982, I\nwould like to say the following.\nThe people whom you are petitioning for have really found\nthemselves in a situation not to be envied. After all, this\nsituation was created and has long been maintained in an\nartificial manner. A way out of it could have been found a\nlong time ago. At the present time, too, it is possible to\nresolve this question.\nThe only thing needed is that the US side rather than\ndetain those people within the walls of its Embassy, take\nmeasures for them to leave it. Nothing stands in the way of\nsuch a step - nobody intended or intends to prosecute that\ngroup of pentecostalists.\nAs to their departure from the USSR, this question can be\nconsidered in accordance with the procedure established under\nour laws and equally applicable to all Soviet citizens, after\nthose persons return to the place of their residence.\nHowever, the group of the sect members that happened to be\nin the US Embassy is being pushed for some reason or another in\na different direction - toward violation of the Soviet laws,\nsetting forth prior conditions and all sorts of demands that\ncan lead only to an impasse. Thus, the entire responsibility\nfor the existing situation rests with the US side, including\nthe responsibility of humanitarian nature.\nWe are not the ones to be called upon to exercise\nhumaneness. For that matter, the references to humaneness are\nnot convincing, while, in fact, attempts are being made to\nmanipulate the destinies of individuals and not only those of\nthe sect members who are kept in the US Embassy.\nWhat kind of humaneness can one invoke, when the children\nare forcefully separated from their parents, as is the case\nwith the Soviet citizens Polovchaks? Indeed, when even an\nAmerican court rules to return Vladimir Polovchak - a minor -\nto his parents and the US executive authorities are raising\nobstacles thereto, it is not simply inhumane but immoral.\nI would like to believe that on the part of the US side\nnecessary measures will be taken to discontinue the abnormal\nsituation existing around the group of Soviet citizens who find\nthemselves in the US Embassy in Moscow.\nSincerely,\nL. Brezhnev\nJanuary 21, 1982\nPENTE COSTALS 624\n18\nS/S-8202230\nDEPARTMENT OF STATE\nWashington, D.C. 20520\n82 PIO 45\nJanuary 29, 1982\nMEMORANDUM FOR MR. WILLIAM P. CLARK\nTHE WHITE HOUSE\nSubject: Press Announcement and Guidance -\nHospitalization of Pentecostal\nHunger Striker\nFollowing up the meeting at the White House on the\nquestion of the Pentecostals earlier this afternoon,\nattached is a proposed press announcement and set of\nQs and As on the matter of hospitalization of the hunger\nstrikers. Please note the revision to the proposed\nresponse on the question \"Will the Soviets allow her\nto return to the Embassy?\".\nOdr\nL. Paul Bremer, III\nExecutive Secretary\nAttachments:\nAs Stated\n19\nFOR CONTINGENCY USE ONLY\nPRESS ANNOUNCEMENT AND GUIDANCE\nJanuary 28, 1982\nHospitalization of Pentecostal Hunger Striker\nThis contingency press announcement and guidance is to be used\nONLY if and when a Pentecostal Hunger Striker in Embassy Moscow\nis placed in a Soviet hospital.\nPRESS ANNOUNCEMENT follows:\nToday at ( ) Lidiya Vashchenko was transferred from the\nAmerican Embassy in Moscow to a Soviet hospital. She was\naccompanied to the hospital by the Embassy physician and a\nconsular officer.\nLidiya Vashchenko and her mother, Augustina Vashchenko, had\nbeen on a liquids-only hunger strike since late December. On\nSaturday or Sunday (Jan 23-24) they began a total hunger\nstrike; that is, no solid food and no liquids. On Tuesday,\nJanuary 26, they informed the Embassy physician that they were\ngoing to return to a liquids-only diet. The Embassy and the\nDepartment have from the beginning been gravely concerned over\nthe threat to the womens' health and their lives and did\neverything possible to persuade the Vashchenkos to cease their\nhunger strike. A parallel effort was made by leading\nsupporters of the seven Pentecostalists in the United States\nand other countries. The matter has been repeatedly raised\nwith Soviet authorities at high levels, focusing on the\nVashchenkos' long-time desire to emigrate for reasons of\nreligious freedom.\nWhile these efforts were being made on their behalf, the\n20\nphysical condition of the pair continued to be monitored\ncarefully by the Embassy doctor. The primary objective of the\nEmbassy has been and continues to be to safeguard the health,\nwell-being and lives of the persons concerned. This objective\nwas made clear to all members of the Vashchenko family from the\noutset of the hunger strike. In order to avoid a\nlife-threatening situation from developing and in view of the\nlimited medical facilities available to the Embassy, a\ndetermination was made that Lidiya Vashchenko had to be\ntransferred to better equipped medical facilities.\nOur Embassy asked the Soviet authorities to permit medical\nevacuation to a western country. This request was denied.\nThus the Embassy had no alternative but to call for an\nambulance to transfer Lidiya to a Soviet hospital. We have\nmade it clear to the Soviet authorities that Lidiya Vashchenko\nwill be welcome to rejoin her family in the Embassy upon her\nrecovery and that we expect her to be allowed to do so.\nThe Embassy and the Department remain committed to assisting\nthe Vashchenko and Chmykhalov families in their desire to\nemigrate and to practice their religion freely, and can only\ndeplore the harsh, restrictive emigration policies of the\nSoviet Union that have brought about today's sad events.\nQuestions and Answers follow:\nQ. Why was Lidiya Vashchenko moved out today? What was her\nstate of health?\nA. The Embassy acted to move Lidiya Vashchenko to a Soviet\nhospital when the Embassy physician judged it likely that\nirreversible damage to her body organs might soon occur.\nQ. Who made the decision to move Lidiya Vashchenko?\nA. The decision was made by the Principal Officer in\naccordance with standing Department of State authority to seek\nSoviet medical assistance for the Pentecostalists in the event\nof a medical emergency.\nQ. Why was the decision made? Did you not want her to die in\nthe Embassy?\nA. The principal concern of the United States Government in\nthe three and one half years that the Pentecostalists have\nresided in refuge in Embassy Moscow has been to preserve the\nhealth, safety and lives of the Vashchenkos and Chmykhalovs.\nQ. Will the other Pentecostalists be removed from the Embassy\nas well?\nA. If a determination is made that Mrs. Vashchenko is\napproaching a life-threatening situation, then the same\nreasoning that led us to transfer Lidiya to a hospital would\napply for Augustina. In addition, we have made clear to all\nmembers of the Vashchenko and Chmykhalov families that, health\npermitting, they are welcome to remain in refuge in the Embassy.\nQ. What hospital is Lidiya Vashchenko in?\nA. (Tell if known)\nQ. Will the Soviets allow her to return to the Embassy?\nA. We have made it clear to the Soviets that Lidiya will be\nwelcome to the Embassy once her health permits and that we\nexpect them to allow her to do so. The Soviets have not given\nus a definitive reply.\nQ. What efforts were made to stop the strike?\nA. President Reagan sent a message to the hunger strikers\nunderlining his support for their cause and urging them to give\nup the strike. In addition, the Embassy physician, Embassy\nofficers and prominent Americans, including former President\nCarter, appealed to the two hunger strikers to end their\nstrike. The Embassy also facilitated contact between the\nfamilies and their numerous supporters in the West so that\nfamily friends could add their voice to the calls for an end to\nthe strike.\nQ. What diplomatic contacts were made on the Pentecostalists'\nbehalf?\nA. Secretary Haig raised the issue of the Pentecostalists'\ndesire to emigrate with Foreign Minister Gromyko at their\nmeeting in Geneva on January 26. Other numerous diplomatic\ncontacts with the Soviets were made at high levels on the\nPentecostalists' behalf. We do not believe it would serve the\ninterests of the Vashchenkos and the Chmykhalovs to\ncharacterize these diplomatic contacts, which continue and will\ncontinue until a resolution of this problem is found.\nFICE -\nPENTECOSTALS COSTALS\nFOR CONTINGENCY USE ONLY\nPRESS GUIDANCE\nJanuary 29, 1982\nPresidential Message to the Pentecostal Hunger\nStrikers in Embassy Moscow\nQ.\nCan you confirm the report that President Reagan sent &\nmessage to the two women on hunger strike in Embassy Moscow?\nA.\nYes, it is our understanding that the President did send a\npersonal message to the two Pentecostalists on hunger\nstrike.\nQ. What did the message say?\n(If the text of the message has not yet been released use the\nfollowing).\nA. I do not have the text of the message. However, we\nunderstand that the President expressed his support for the\nfamilies' desire to emigrate, but urged the hunger strikers\nto abandon their strike.\n(If the White House has released the text, use the following\nanswer).\nA. The text of the message reads as follows: (Text of\nPresidential message attached).\nDrafted:EUR/SOV:JRVanLaningham\noR\n1/29/82 X22071 #3416S\nCleared: EUR/SOV:AEDarbyshire\nEUR/SOV:RECombs AD\nEUR:JDScanlan\nFOR RELEASE ONLY IF ALREADY RELEASED By WHITE HOUSE.\nDear Augustina and Lidiya:\nI want you to know of my deep personal concern for your\nhealth and your lives, which now are placed in extreme jeopardy\nby the hunger strike you have undertaken. My distress is\nshared by your many other friends and well-wishers here in the\nUnited States and elsewhere throughout the world, who join me\nin urging you to abandon this course before it is too late.\nPlease understand that you and the other members of the\nVashchenko and Chmykhalov families are not alone as you pursue\nyour brave and determined effort for emigration. Those who\nwork on your behalf, and I have long counted myself among them,\nare many, and their efforts are unflagging.\nSince becoming President, I have directed my Administration\nto do everything possible to assist you in reaching your goal.\nWe have been in touch with Soviet officials at high levels to\nseek resolution of this question. I remain committed to\nseeking your emigration, as well as that of the other members\nof your family and the Chmykhalov family. I am determined to\ncontinue our efforts, and am hopeful that a solution can be\nfound.\nI ask you not to lose faith but to take heart from the\nsincere commitment of your many supporters. I urge you to\nabandon your hunger strike, and to continue your courageous\ncourse, a struggle that is an inspiration to all who value\nreligious freedom and individual human rights.\nSincerely,\nRonald Reagan\nFICE\nRevised Pres MSG\n25\n504\nPipes:\nDear Mr. President:\n10604\nI once again draw your attention on an urgent basis to\nthe tragic situation of Lidiya Vashchenko, who was hospitalized\nSaturday, January 30, in Moscow. The deterioriation of her\nhealth brought on by her hunger strike caused the Embassy to\nseek emergency medical assistance for her in Moscow's Botkin\nhospital to prevent irreversible damage to her health.\nI wish to ask you, Mr. President, on a humanitarian basis,\nto ensure that Lidiya Vashchenko receives the best possible\nmedical attention to hasten her complete recovery. I look\nforward to receiving word from the Embassy of her improved\nhealth and trust there will be no difficulty for the Embassy\nin visiting her in the hospital and obtaining periodic reports\non her condition.\nI wish to emphasize that Lidiya is entirely welcome to\nreturn to our Embassy and rejoin her other family members upon\nher release from the hospital. I would also like to underscore\nmy personal expectation that she will not be prevented from\ndoing so if it is her wish. Let me reiterate, Mr. President,\nmy strong feelings that Lidiya and her other family members,\ntogether with the Chmykhalov family, should be permitted to\nemigrate in order that these people can pursue what they have\nsought for so long. I urge that for humanitarian reasons\nquick and favorable action be taken in their cases.\nSincerely,\nDECLASSIFIED\nRonald Reagan\nNLRRF06-114/9*10604\nBY KML NARA DATE 4/7/2011\nCONF IDENTIAL\nPEWTECOSTALS\nDECLASSIFIED\n10605\nNATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL\nNLRRF06-114/9 10605\nMESSAGE CENTER\nBY KML NARA DATE 4/7/2011\nPAGE 01 OF 02 MOSCOW 1906\nDTG: 171514Z FEB 82 PSN: 019506\nEOB084\nAN010314\nTOR: 048/2115Z\nCSN: HCE893\nDISTRIBUTION: GUHN-01 KRAM-01 LORD-01 PIPE-01 RENT-01 SHOE-01\nSTER-01 MYER-01 /008 A3\nE\nX\nDISTRIBUTION: ISEC-01 CSCE-00 /001 A3\nD\nWHTS ASSIGNED DISTRIBUTION:\nSIT:\nEOB:\nS\nOP IMMED\nUTS3039\nDE RUEHMO # 1906/01 0481559\nE\nO 171514Z FEB 82\nFM AMEMBASSY MOSCOW\nX\nTO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1821\nD\nSECTION 01 OF 04 MOSCOW 01906\nS\nEXDIS\nE.O. 12065: RDS-3 2/17/02 (ZIMMERMANN, WARREN) OR-M\nTAGS: SHUM, CSCE, US, UR, SREF\nSUBJECT: BACKGROUND BRIEFING MATERIAL ON PENTECOSTALS\n-\nFOR DEMARCHES\nREF: MOSCOW 1603\nE\n1. (C/EXDIS) EMBASSY MOSCOW PROPOSES THE FOLLOWING\nAPPROACH FOR WESTERN DEMARCHES ON THE VASHCHENKOS AND\nX\nCHMYKHALOVS PER MOSCOW 1713. WE BELIEVE IT WOULD BE\nD\nSUITABLE FOR ALL WESTERN CSCE SIGNATORIES. WE WOULD\nENVISAGE AN INSTRUCTION TO CSCE CAPITALS WHICH\nEMPHASIZED:\n-- THE DESIRABILITY OF A HIGH-LEVEL, QUIET DEMARCHE\nS\nBY THE HOST GOVERNMENT TO THE SOVIETS NOTING VIOLATION\nOF THE HELSINKI FINAL ACT AND LINKAGE (WHERE APPROPRIATE)\nWITH THE MAY 10 WORLD PEACE CONFERENCE OF THE RUSSIAN\nPATRIARCH.\nTHE SUGGESTION THAT RECIPIENT POSTS BRING THE ISSUE\nTO THE ATTENTION OF PROMINENT HOST COUNTRY CHURCH\nLEADERS AND GROUPS (OR THAT THEY URGE THE HOST GOVERNMENT\nE\nTO DO SO).\nX\n-- THE IMPORTANCE OF THE TIME FACTOR: THE SOVIETS ARE\nANXIOUS TO AVOID PROBLEMS AT THEIR PEACE CONFERENCE,\nD\nAND THE PENTECOSTAL ISSUE COULD BE A SERIOUS PROBLEM\nFOR THEM IF THE FAMILIES HAVE NOT EMIGRATED BY THEN.\n(POSTS SHOULD BEAR IN MIND THAT WE WANT TO DISCOURAGE\nS\nATTENDANCE AT THE PEACE CONFERENCE, WHICH WILL BE A\nSOVIET PROPAGANDA FORUM DIRECTED SQUARELY AGAINST\nU.S. INTERESTS. ON THE OTHER HAND, AS SOME CHURCH\nGROUPS SEEM LIKELY TO SEND AT LEAST LOW-LEVEL\nOBSERVERS IN ANY event, IT IS THIS FOREGONE\nPARTICIPATION THAT WE WOULD HOPE TO LINK WITH THE\nPENTECOSTALISTS.\n2. (C/EXDIS) FOUR MEMBERS OF THE VASHCHENKO FAMILY\nAND TWO PERSONS FROM THE CHMYKHALOV FAMILY HAVE LIVED\nIN REFUGE IN EMBASSY MOSCOW FOR MORE THAN THREE AND\nONE HALF YEARS. DURING THIS PERIOD, THE UNITED STATES\nGOVERNMENT HAS MADE SEVERAL HIGH LEVEL EFFORTS,\nINCLUDING THREE APPROACHES BY THE SECRETARY OF STATE\nAND PERSONAL ACTION BY PRESIDENT REAGAN, TO SECURE\nTHE EMIGRATION OF THESE TWO FAMILIES TO A WESTERN\nCOUNTRY WHERE THEY CAN FREELY PRACTICE THEIR RELIGION.\nCONF IDENTIAL\nIFIDENTIAL\nNATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL\nMESSAGE CENTER\nPAGE 02 OF 02 MOSCOW 1906\nDTG: 171514Z FEB 82 PSN: 019506\nFRUSTRATED AT SEEMLY INTERMINABLE SOVIET INACTION,\nTWO MEMBERS OF THE VASHCHENKO FAMILY WITHIN AMEMBASSY\nMOSCOW DECLARED A HUNGER STRIKE IN DECEMBER 1981,\nE\nGAINING WORLD-WIDE ATTENTION. WHILE THE HUNGER STRIKE\nX\nHAS NOW ENDED, IT HAS CATAPULTED THE VASHCHENKOS\nAND CHMYKHALOVS INTO ONE OF THE MOST PROMINENT HUMAN\nD\nRIGHTS CASES IN THE SOVIET UNION. THIS HAS FOR THE\nFIRST TIME PROVIDED THE UNITED STATES WITH NEEDED\nLEVERAGE TO RESOLVE THE VASHCHENKOS' AND CHMYKHALOVS'\nEMIGRATION PROBLEM: THE SOVIETS ARE DISPLAYING\nS\nCONSIDERABLE SENSITIVITY TO THEIR PUBLIC IMAGE IN\nTHIS MATTER. THE USSR APPEARS TO BE PARTICULARLY\nCONCERNED THAT WESTERN CHRISTIAN GROUPS THEY WOULD\nLIKE TO ATTRACT TO THE RUSSIAN ORTHODOX PATRIARCH' S\nWORLD PEACE CONFERENCE (REF A) WILL CONDITION THEIR\nPARTICIPATION ON A RESOLUTION OF THE VASHCHENKO AND\nCHMYKHALOV PROBLEM, OR WILL PROMINENTLY BRING UP\nTHIS ISSUE AT THE CONFERENCE.\nX\nD\n3. (C/EXDIS) SOVIET PERSECUTION OF THE VASHCHENKOS\nAND CHMYKHALOVS FOR THEIR RELIGIOUS BELIEFS, ALONG\nWITH THE SOVIET REFUSAL T.O ALLOW THE TWO FAMILIES TO\nS\nEMIGRATE, CONSTITUTE CLEAR VIOLATIONS OF THE UNITED\nNATIONS DECLARATION ON HUMAN RIGHTS AND THE CONFERENCE\nFOR SECURITY AND COOPERATION IN EUROPE FINAL ACT,\nPARTICULARLY ARTICLE VII ON RESPECT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS\nAND THE SECTION ON COOPERATION IN HUMANITARIAN AND OTHER\nFIELDS WHICH CALLS FOR FREER MOVEMENT OF PEOPLES.\nWESTERN CHURCH GROUPS, BY FORCEFULLY EXPRESSING THEIR\nE\nINTEREST IN THIS MATTER TO THE RUSSIAN ORTHODOX\nPATRIARCHATE AND BY EITHER REFUSING TO PARTICIPATE IN\nX\nTHE WORLD PEACE CONFERENCE OR BY THREATENING TO RAISE\nD\nTHE PENTECOSTALS' PROBLEM THERE, CAN PLAY A CRUCIAL\nROLE IN RESOLVING THIS PROBLEM. ENERGETIC AND HIGH-LEVEL\nREPRESENTATION TO HOST COUNTRY GOVERNMENTS AND RELIGIOUS\nGROUPS IS ESSENTIAL I-N ORDER TO PRESS OUR ADVANTAGE\nS\nBEFORE THE WORLD PEACE CONFERENCE CONVENES MAY 10.\n4. (U) THE FOLLOWING BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON THE\nVASHCHENKOS AND CHMYKHALOVS MAY BE DRAWN FROM IN\nBRIEFING FOREIGN OFFICIALS AND CHURCHMEN.\nBT\nE\nX\nS\nCONFIDENTIAL\n28\nCONFIDENTIAL\nNATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL\nMESSAGE CENTER\nPAGE 01 OF 02 MOSCOW 1906\nDTG: 171514Z FEB 82 PSN: 019526\nEOB086\nAN010315\nTOR: 048/2127Z\nCSN: HCE901\nDISTRIBUTION: GUHN-01 KRAM-01 LORD-01 PIPE-01 RENT-01 SHOE-01\nSTER-01 MYER-01 /008 A3\nE\nX\nDISTRIBUTION: ISEC-01 /001 A3\nD\nWHTS ASSIGNED DISTRIBUTION:\nSIT:\nEOB:\nS\nOP IMMED\nSTU3473\nDE RUEHMO # 1906/02 0481600\nE\nO 171514Z feb 82\nFM AMEMBASSY MOSCOW\nX\nTO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1822\nD\nSECTION 02 OF 04 MOSCOW 01906\nS\nEXDIS\n5. (U) THE VASHCHENKO FAMILY NUMBERS 16 PERSONS -\nPETER AND AUGUSTINA, AGE 55 AND 52, RESPECTIVELY,\nAND CHILDREN LIDIA, 30; LUBOV, 29; NADEZHDA, 26;\nVERA, 25; LILIA, 24; ALEXANDER, 22; HIS WIFE LUDMILA,\nE\n24; IOAN, 20; IAKOV, 19; DINA, 16; AVEL, 15; PAVEL,\n14; SARRA, 1; AND AVRAAM, 7.- THE CHMYKHALOV FAMILY\nX\nTOTALS 12 MEMBERS - PETRO, 55; MARIA, 59; THEIR\nCHILDREN NADEZHDA, 29; ANATOLIY, 25; ALEKSANDR, 21;\nTIMOFEI, 19; VLADIMIR, 27; HIS WIFE EKATERINA, 26\nAND THEIR CHILDREN ROMAN, 3; ELENA, 2; NADEZHDA, 1;\nAND MARIA' S UNMARRIED SISTER ANNA MAKARENKO, 53.\nS\nBOTH FAMILIES ARE MEMBERS OF AN UNREGISTERED PENTECOSTAL\nCHURCH IN THEIR HOMETOWN OF CHERNOGORSK, SIBERIA.\nCHURCHES IN THE SOVIET UNION MUST BE GOVERNMENT\nSANCTIONED. REGISTERED CONGREGATIONS, WHICH HAVE\nOFFICIAL PERMISSION TO OPERATE, ARE REQUIRED TO ABIDE\nBY CERTAIN RESTRICTIONS, INCLUDING STATE APPROVAL OF\nPASTORS, NO ATTENDANCE BY PERSONS UNDER 18 YEARS OF\nE\nAGE OR PROSTELIZATION OF CHILDREN, AND NO TEACHING\nX\nOF CERTAIN PARTS OF THE BIBLE.\nNEITHER THE VASHCHENKOS NOR CHMYKHALOVS ARE\nD\nWILLING TO ACCEPT SUCH RESTRICTIONS\nAND BOTH FAMILIES HAVE SUFFERED A LONG PERIOD OF\nPERSECUTIONS AS A RESULT OF FOLLOWING THE DICTATES\nOF THEIR CONSCIENCE. BEGINNING IN 1961 WITH\nS\nKHRUSHCHEV' S INTENSIFICATION OF CHURCH PERSECUTION,\nMEETINGS OF THE CHERNOGORSK UNREGISTERED PENTECOSTAL\nCHURCH WERE BROKEN UP OR HARASSED WITH GREAT\nREGULARITY. AT ONE POINT THAT YEAR, A TRUCK RAMMED\nTHE BUILDING SERVICES WERE BEING HELD IN WHILE THE\nCONGREGATION WAS INSIDE. WHEN THAT FAILED TO STOP\nTHE WORSHIPPERS, A FIRE TRUCK WAS BROUGHT IN, WINDOWS\nBROKEN OUT AND THE CONGREGATION SPRAYED FULL FORCE\nWITH COLD WATER. ON ANOTHER OCCASION THAT SAME YEAR,\nA POWDER WAS THROWN INTO THE BASEMENT OF THE HOUSE\nWHERE THE UNREGISTERED PENTECOSTALS WERE MEETING,\nCAUSING ITCHING AND SNEEZING. MEMBERS OF\nTHE CHMYKHALOV AND VASHCHENKO FAMILIES WERE ALSO BEATEN,\nHARASSED ON THE JOB AND FINED FOR ATTENDING \"ILLEGAL\"\nCHURCH SERVICES.\n6. (U) CONVINCED THAT THEY WOULD NEVER BE ABLE TO\nCONF IDENTIAL\nCONF IDENTIAL\nNATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL\nMESSAGE CENTER\nPAGE 02 OF 02 MOSCOW 1906\nDTG: 171514Z FEB 82 PSN: 019526\nWORSHIP IN THE SOVIET UNION ACCORDING TO THEIR BELIEFS,\nTHE VASHCHENKOS AND CHMYKHALOVS SEPARATELY BEGAN THEIR\nQUEST FOR EMIGRATION, PREFERABLY TO ISRAEL, WHICH\nE\nTHEY HELD TO BE THEIR SPIRITUAL HOMELAND. THIS\nX\nQUEST, MOTIVATED SOLELY BY CONSTANT RELIGIOUS\nPERSECUTIONS, HAS BEEN FRUSTRATED FOR 20 YEARS BY\nD\nRESTRICTIVE SOVIET EMIGRATION PRACTICES. NEITHER THE\nVASHCHENKOS NOR CHMYKHALOVS HAVE RELATIVES ABROAD.\nTHE SOVIET UNION, WHICH DOES NOT ACKNOWLEDGE RELIGIOUS\nS\nPERSECUTION, DOES NOT ALLOW EMIGRATION ON RELIGIOUS\nOR VIRTUALLY ANY GROUNDS OTHER THAN FAMILY REUNIFICATION.\nIN OCTOBER 1962, PETER AND AUGUSTINA, ACCOMPANIED BY\nSEVERAL OF THEIR CHILDREN, TRAVELED TO MOSCOW WHERE\nTHEY REQUESTED PERMISSION TO EMIGRATE AT THE OFFICE\nOF THE PRESIDIUM OF THE SUPREME SOVIET.\nRECEIVING NO ASSISTANCE, THE VASHCHENKOS NEXT TURNED\nE\nTO THE AMERICAN EMBASSY -- NOT KNOWING THERE WAS\nTHEN AN ISRAELI EMBASSY IN MOSCOW. THE FAMILY HOPED\nX\nTHE AMERICANS COULD EITHER ASSIST THEM IN REACHING\nISRAEL, OR ADMIT THEM TO THE U.S. WHERE THEY COULD\nD\nWORSHIP FREELY. THEY WERE KEPT FROM ENTERING THE\nU.S. EMBASSY, HOWEVER, BY SOVIET GUARDS. PETER\nSUBSEQUENTLY WROTE A DECLARATION OF HIS DESIRE TO\nS\nLEAVE THE USSR, LEFT IT AT THE PRESIDIUM AND THE\nVASHCHENKOS RETURNED TO CHERNOGORSK. ON DECEMBER 14,\n1962, PETER WAS ARRESTED AND ON MARCH 21, 1963 SENTENCED\nTO TWO YEARS IMPRISONMENT UNDER ARTICLE 227 WHICH\nMAKES IT A CRIME TO ORGANIZE OR LEAD A GROUP WHOSE\nACTIVITY, CARRIED ON UNDER THE GUISE OF PREACHING\nRELIGIOUS DOCTRINES AND PERFORMING RELIGIOUS RITUALS,\nE\nIS CONNECTED WITH CAUSING HARM TO CITIZENS' HEALTH\nX\nD\n7. (U) EARLIER IN 1962, PETER AND AUGUSTINA HAD BEEN\nDEPRIVED OF PARENTAL RIGHTS FOR THEIR THREE OLDEST\nCHILDREN BECAUSE THEY REFUSED TO ALLOW THEIR OFFSPRING\nTO RECEIVE ATHEISTIC EDUCATION IN SOVIET SCHOOLS.\nS\nIN THE SUMMER OF THAT YEAR, THE THREE WERE FORCIBLY\nREMOVED FROM THEIR PARENTS' HOME AND PLACED IN AN\nORPHANAGE, NOT TO BE RELEASED UNTIL MORE THAN FIVE\nYEARS LATER. IN 1968, PETER AND AUGUSTINA VASHCHENKO\nRETURNED TO THE AMERICAN EMBASSY TO REQUEST ASSISTANCE.\nTHEY WERE DENIED ENTRANCE BY THE MILITIA GUARD AND\nARRESTED. PETER WAS INCARCERATED IN A PSYCHIATRIC\nE\nHOSPITAL FOR TWO MONTHS, FOLLOWED BY A SENTENCE OF\nX\nONE YEAR IN A LABOR COLONY FOR NOT HAVING A SOVIET\nINTERNAL PASSPORT (PETER HAD RETURNED HIS INTERNAL\nD\nBT\nS\nCONF IDENTIAL\nCONF LDENT LAL\nNATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL\nMESSAGE CENTER\nPAGE 01 OF 02 MOSCOW 1906\nDTG: 171514Z FEB 82 PSN: 019537\nEOB091\nAN010316\nTOR: 048/2140Z\nCSN: HCE905\nDISTRIBUTION: GUHN-01 KRAM-Ø1 LORD-01 PIPE-01 RENT-01 SHOE-01\nSTER-01 MYER-01 /008 A3\nE\nX\nDISTRIBUTION: ISEC-01 /001 A3\nD\nWHTS ASSIGNED DISTRIBUTION:\nSIT:\nEOB:\nS\nOP IMMED\nSTU3480\nDE ruehmo #1906/03 0481602\nO 171514Z FEB 82\nFM AMEMBASSY MOSCOW\nX\nTO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1823\nD\nSECTION 03 OF 04 MOSCOW 01906\nS\nEXDIS\nPASSPORT TO SOVIET AUTHORITIES IN MARCH 1965 TO UNDER-\nLINE HIS DETERMINATION TO EMIGRATE) . AUGUSTINA WAS\nSENTENCED TO THREE YEARS IN A LABOR CAMP UNDER ARTICLE\n191 FOR RESISTANCE TO AUTHORITY.\nE\n8. (U) PERSECUTIONS OF THE VASHCHENKO FAMILY DID NOT\nSTOP AFTER THE RELEASE OF PETER AND AUGUSTINA.\nX\nALTHOUGH THE THREE OLDER DAUGHTERS HAD BEEN RESTORED\nD\nTO THE FAMILY, THE STATE THREATENED TO REMOVE THE\nYOUNGER VASHCHENKO CHILDREN IN 1974. IN 1975, THE\nFAMILY WAS ATTACKED BY NAME IN THE NEWSPAPER\nCHERNOGORSK worker\" FOR FOLLOWING \"RELIGIOUS\nS\nPREJUDICES\" THAT CAUSED THEM TO COME INTO CONFLICT\nWITH SOVIET LAW. ON DECEMBER 9, 1977 THE OLDEST\nVASHCHENKO SON, ALEXANDER, WAS SENTENCED TO THREE\nYEARS IMPRISONMENT FOR REFUSING INDUCTION ON RELIGIOUS\nGROUNDS INTO THE SOVIET ARMY.\nE\n9. (U) THE CHMYKHALOVS BEGAN ACTIVELY TO PURSUE\nX\nEMIGRATION IN 1963. IN THAT YEAR, PETRO CHMYKHALOV\nHAD INTENDED TO JOIN A GROUP OF 32 CHERNOGORSK\nD\nPENTECOSTALS WHO TRAVELED TO MOSCOW (AND VISITED\nTHE AMERICAN EMBASSY) REQUESTING PERMISSION TO\nEMIGRATE. WORK AND A FAMILY ILLNESS PREVENTED HIM.\nS\nON THE BASIS OF ADVICE FROM SOME OF THE 32, THE\nCHMYKHALOVS DECLARED THEIR INTENTION TO EMIGRATE\nBY A LETTER TO PREMIER khruschev, IN WHICH THEY\nUNILATERALLY RENOUNCED THEIR SOVIET CITIZENSHIP AND\nRETURNED THEIR SOVIET INTERNAL PASSPORTS. THE LOCAL\nAUTHORITIES RESPONDED BY SEARCHING THE CHMYKHALOV\nHOME AND REGULARLY HAULING MEMBERS OF THE FAMILY\nBEFORE LOCAL COURTS TO BE GIVEN STIFF FINES FOR\nILLEGAL RELIGIOUS ACTIVITIES. SEVERAL MEMBERS OF THE\nFAMILY WERE AT VARIOUS TIMES ARRESTED: MARIA SERVED\n32 DAYS IN PRISON IN 1969 FOR LACK OF AN INTERNAL\nPASSPORT. PETRO WAS SENTENCED TO ONE YEAR IN A LABOR\nCAMP FOR THE SAME OFFENSE THAT YEAR. MARIA'S SISTER,\nANNA MAKARENKO, WAS ARRESTED IN 1968, ALSO FOR\nPASSPORT VIOLATIONS.\n10. (U) THE CHMYKHALOVS CONTINUED TO WRITE SOVIET\nAUTHORITIES REGULARLY TO REQUEST PERMISSION TO\nEMIGRATE, WITHOUT RESULT. FINALLY IN 1978, AFTER\nCONF IDENTIAL\nUNIT IDENT IAL\nNATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL\nMESSAGE CENTER\nPAGE 02 OF 02 MOSCOW 1906\nDTG: 171514Z FEB 82 PSN: 019537\nBEING TOLD BY A SOVIET LOCAL OFFICIAL THAT NO FOREIGN\nCOUNTRY WANTED TO ACCEPT THE FAMILY, MARIA CHMYKHALOV\nAND HER SON TIMOFEI DECIDED TO JOIN 6 MEMBERS OF\nE\nTHE VASHCHENKO FAMILY WHO PLANNED TO VISIT THE\nX\nAMERICAN EMBASSY. THE VASHCHENKOS HAD JUST RECEIVED\nLETTERS OF INVITATION (\"VYZOVS\") FROM THE UNITED\nD\nSTATES BUT LOCAL EMIGRATION AUTHORITIES INSISTED THAT\nTHE AMERICANS DID NOT WANT THEIR FAMILY EITHER AND\nREFUSED TO ACCEPT THEIR DOCUMENTS.\nS\n11. (U) PETER VASHCHENKO, ALONG WITH THE TWO CHMYKHALOVS\nAND HIS WIFE AUGUSTINA AND CHILDREN LIDIA, LYUBOV,\nLILIA AND IOAN, HOPED TO SECURE FROM THE U.S. EMBASSY\nEVIDENCE THAT THE UNITED STATES WOULD BE WILLING TO\nACCEPT THEM AS EMIGRANTS AND ASSISTANCE IN THE\nEMIGRATION PROCESS. ON JUNE 27, 1978 THE TWO FAMILIES\nWERE DENIED ENTRY INTO THE EMBASSY BY SOVIET POLICEMEN\nDESPITE THE FACT THAT THEY BORE A LETTER OF INVITATION\nX\nFROM THE U.S. CONSUL. THE TWO FAMILIES DECIDED TO\nRUSH PAST THE SOVIET POLICE ONTO THE EMBASSY COMPOUND,\nD\nBUT IN THE PROCESS ONE MEMBER OF THE GROUP, IOAN\nvashchenko, WAS APPREHENDED. THE SEVEN WHO SUCCEEDED\nIN ENTERING THE EMBASSY WERE IN AN AGITATED AND\nS\nDESPERATE STATE AND REFUSED TO LEAVE UNTIL THEY KNEW\nWHAT HAD BECOME OF IOAN. EMBASSY OFFICERS IMMEDIATELY\nCONTACTED SOVIET POLICE OFFICIALS TO DETERMINE IOAN' S\nWHEREABOUTS AND CONDITION, BUT RECEIVED NO ANSWER\nBY NIGHTFALL. THE seven PENTECOSTALS WERE THEREFORE\nALLOWED TO REMAIN IN THE EMBASSY FOR WHAT WAS EXPECTED\nTO BE A VERY BRIEF AND TEMPORARY PERIOD OF REFUGE.\nE\nIT WAS NOT UNTIL TWO weeks LATER THAT WE LEARNED THAT\nIOAN VASHCHENKO HAD been BEATEN BY THE soviet POLICE,\nX\nAND THEN RELEASED AND RETURNED TO CHERNOGORSK. BY\nD\nTHAT TIME, THE SEVEN WITHIN THE EMBASSY BELIEVED THEIR\nLONG RESIDENCY THERE WOULD BRING HARSH OFFICIAL REPRISALS\nAGAINST THEM AND WERE AFRAID TO LEAVE.\nS\n12. (U) SINCE JUNE 27, 1978, THE UNITED STATES\nGOVERNMENT HAS BROUGHT THE VASHCHENKO' S AND CHMYKHALOV' S\nEMIGRATION PROBLEM TO THE ATTENTION OF THE SOVIET\nGOVERNMENT NO LESS THAN 35 TIMES, INCLUDING 4 TIMES\nAT THE SECRETARY OF STATE AND/OR FOREIGN MINISTER\nLEVEL. PRESIDENT REAGAN HAS DECLARED HIS CONCERN FOR\nE\nAND SUPPORT OF THE TWO FAMILIES SEVERAL TIMES EVEN\nX\nBEFORE TAKING OFFICE. THE PRESIDENT' S MOST RECENT\nINITIATIVE ON BEHALF OF THE VASHCHENKOS AND CHMYKHALOVS\nD\nBT\nS\nCONF IDENTIAL\nCONF IDENTIAL\nNATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL\nMESSAGE CENTER\nPAGE 01 OF 02 MOSCOW 1906\nDTG: 171514Z FEB 82 PSN: 019515\nEOB085\nAN010317\nTOR: 048/2121Z\nCSN: HCE897\nDISTRIBUTION: GUHN-01 KRAM-01 LORD-01 PIPE-01 RENT-01 SHOE-01\nSTER-01 MYER-01 /008 A3\nE\nX\nDISTRIBUTION: ISEC-01 /001 A3\nWHTS ASSIGNED DISTRIBUTION:\nSIT:\nEOB:\nS\nOP IMMED\nUTS3052\nDE RUEHMO # 1906/04 0481603\nE\nO 171514Z FEB 82\nFM AMEMBASSY MOSCOW\nTO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1824\nD\nSECTION 04 OF 04 MOSCOW 01906\nS\nEXDIS\nWAS A LETTER TO THEM ON JANUARY 29, 1981. SOME FOREIGN\nCOUNTRIES LENT THEIR SUPPORT. ON JUNE 11, 1980, IN\nRESPONSE TO A PARLIAMENTARY MOTION THE CANADIAN EMBASSY\nIN MOSCOW INFORMED SOVIET AUTHORITIES THAT CANADA\nWAS PREPARED TO RECEIVE THE PENTECOSTALS AND ASKED\nTHAT THE VASHCHENKOS AND CHMYKHALOVS BE ALLOWED TO\nEMIGRATE. IN DECEMBER 1981, NINE SWEDISH PARLIAMEN-\nTARIANS CALLED IN A LETTER TO PRESIDENT BREZHNEV FOR\nTHE RELEASE OF THE TWO FAMILIES. THIS INITIATIVE\nD\nRECEIVED PARLIAMENTARY SUPPORT IN NORWAY, THE NETHERLANDS\nAND IRELAND.\nS\n13. (U) THE SOVIET MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS HAS\nMAINTAINED A CONSISTENT POSITION over THE THREE AND\nONE HALF YEARS OF THE PENTECOSTALS' REFUGE IN THE\nU.S. EMBASSY -- THAT THE seven SHOULD RETURN TO\nTHEIR HOME TOWN OF CHERNOGORSK TO APPLY FOR EMIGRATION.\nTHE SOVIETS HAVE REFUSED TO PROVIDE GUARANTEES THAT\nTHE VASHCHENKOS AND CHMYKHALOVS WOULD BE ALLOWED TO\nEMIGRATE IF THEY DID RETURN HOME. THE TWO FAMILIES,\nX\nFOR THEIR PART, NOTE THAT EMIGRATION AUTHORITIES REFUSED\nTO ACCEPT THEIR APPLICATIONS FOR EMIGRATION IN CHERNO-\nD\nGORSK FOR 16 YEARS BEFORE THEY CAME TO THE EMBASSY.\nAFTER MUCH SOUL SEARCHING, THE SEVEN WITHIN THE\nEMBASSY AGREED TO A COMPROMISE POSITION: THEY WOULD\nLEAVE THE EMBASSY IF THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS WERE FIRST\nS\nALLOWED TO EMIGRATE FROM CHERNOGORSK AND THEY were\nGIVEN ASSURANCES THAT THEY WOULD NOT BE PERSECUTED\nAND WOULD BE ALLOWED TO EMIGRATE. SINCE THEN, THE\nseven HAVE STATED THEY WOULD LEAVE WITHOUT ASSURANCES\nIF THEIR OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS were ALLOWED TO EMIGRATE.\n14. (U) DRIVEN TO DESPAIR BY SOVIET REFUSALS TO\nCONSIDER THEIR PLEA FOR EMIGRATION, TWO MEMBERS OF\nTHE VASHCHENKO FAMILY WITHIN THE U.S. EMBASSY,\nAUGUSTINA AND LIDIA, BEGAN HUNGER STRIKES ON\nDECEMBER 25 AND 28, 1981 RESPECTIVELY. ON JANUARY 30, 1982\nLIDIA VASHCHENKO, DEHYDRATED AND WEAK FROM HUNGER,\nWAS TAKEN TO A SOVIET HOSPITAL BY EMBASSY OFFICERS\nFOR NECESSARY MEDICAL TREATMENT UNAVAILABLE ON THE\nEMBASSY COMPOUND. LIDIA STOPPED HER HUNGER STRIKE,\nRECOVERED, AND UPON HER RELEASE ON FEBRUARY 11,\nDECIDED TO RETURN TO CHERNOGORSK TO APPLY FOR\nEMIGRATION, ALONG WITH HER FAMILY MEMBERS STILL\nCONF IDENTIAL\n33\nBONT DUE IDENTIAL\nNATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL\nMESSAGE CENTER\nPAGE 02 OF 02 MOSCOW 1906\nDTG: 171514Z FEB 82 PSN: 019515\nTHERE, AS A TEST OF THE POSITION THE SOVIET GOVERNMENT\nHAS HELD FOR MORE THAN THREE YEARS.\nE\nX\n15. (U) THE SOVIETS ARE REACTING TO THE TREMENDOUS\nGROWTH IN WESTERN PUBLIC INTEREST IN THE VASHCHENKOS\nD\nAND CHMYKHALOVS WITH VILIFICATION. IN CONTACTS WITH\nWESTERN CHURCHMEN AND IN A FEBRUARY 15 TASS STORY,\nTHE USSR HAS MAINTAINED THAT:\nS\n-- THE EMBASSY PENTECOSTALS HAVE BEEN EXCOMMUNICATED\nBY THEIR CHURCH AND ARE NOT A RELIGIOUS ISSUE (IN\nFACT, THE VASHCHENKOS AND CHMYKHALOVS BELONG TO AN\nUNREGISTERED PENTECOSTAL CHURCH. THEY WERE \"EXCOMMUNI-\nCATED\" BY ANOTHER PENTECOSTAL GROUP TO WHICH THEY DO\nNOT BELONG.)\n-- NO ONE HAS EVER PERSECUTED THE VASHCHENKOS AND\nE\nCHMYKHALOVS AND NO ONE WILL IF THEY RETURN TO\nCHERNOGORSK (PAST SOVIET BEHAVIOR RENDERS THIS\nX\nARGUMENT LUDICROUS).\n-- THE PENTECOSTAL HUNGER STRIKE WAS A STAGED AFFAIR\nD\nAND IS BEING EXPLOITED BY THE UNITED STATES AS PART\nOF AN ANTI-SOVIET CAMPAIGN. (EMBASSY MOSCOW TOOK\nEVERY ACTION TO DISCOURAGE THE HUNGER STRIKE AND\nS\nHOSPITALIZED LIDIA WHEN, IN THE EMBASSY DOCTOR' S\nJUDGMENT, HER CONDITION THREATENED IMMINENT DAMAGE\nTO her VITAL ORGANS. LIDIA MADE A FULL RECOVERY\nBECAUSE THE EMBASSY ACTED BEFORE permanent DAMAGE\nCOULD OCCUR. THE U.S. GOVERNMENT DID NOT SUPPORT\nTHE HUNGER STRIKE, BUT CERTAINLY SUPPORTS THE RIGHT\nOF THE VASHCHENKO AND CHMYKHALOV FAMILIES TO EMIGRATE\nE\nAND WORSHIP FREELY. )\nZIMMERMANN\nX\nBT\nD\nS\nE\nX\nD\nS\nCONF IDENTIAL\nCONF IDENTIAL\nPENT COSTACS\nNATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL\n10606\nMESSAGE CENTER\nPAGE 01 OF 02 MOSCOW 2355\nDTG: 261408Z FEB 82 PSN: 031627\nEOB581\nAN001312\nTOR: 057/1708Z\nCSN: HCE101\nDISTRIBUTION: MYER-01 GUHN-01 PIPE-01 RENT-01 STER-01\n/005 A2\nE\nX\nWHTS ASSIGNED DISTRIBUTION:\nD\nSIT:\nEOB:\nS\nPRIORITY\nSTU6165\nDE RUEHMO #2355/01 0571410\nP 261408Z FEB 82\nFM AMEMBASSY MOSCOW\nE\nTO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2147\nX\nAMCONSUL LENINGRAD 6200\nD\nSECTION 01 OF 02 MOSCOW 02355\nEXDIS\nS\nDEPT FOR EUR/SOV\nE.O. 12065: RDS-4 2/26/02 (MCCALL, SHERROD) OR-M\nTAGS: SREF, UR, US\nSUBJECT: INTERNAL DISCORD AMONG EMBASSY PENTECOSTALS\n-\nINCREASING\nREF: 81 MOSCOW 16758\nE\n1.\nCONFIDENTIAL,\nENTIRE\nTEXT.\nX\nD\n2. INTERNAL DISCORD AMONG THE SIX PENTECOSTALS\nLIVING IN REFUGE AT AMEMBASSY MOSCOW HAS UNEXPECTEDLY\nSHARPENED IN RECENT weeks. WHILE DIVISIONS ALONG\nGENERATIONAL AND FAMILY LINES HAVE BEEN NOTABLE FOR\nS\nMORE THAN A YEAR (REFTEL), NEW SQUABBLES HAVE\nDEVELOPED SINCE MID-JANUARY 1982 WHICH PIT MARIA\nCHMYKHALOV AGAINST THE OTHER FIVE PENTECOSTALS,\nINCLUDING HER SON TIMOFEI. MARIA FELT ISOLATED AND\nIGNORED DURING THE HUNGER STRIKE. ALTHOUGH CONSOFFS\nTOOK CARE TO ENSURE HER THAT ALL U.S. GOVERNMENT\nEFFORTS WERE BEING MADE EQUALLY ON BEHALF OF THE\nE\nCHMYKHAL OVS AND VASHCHENKOS MARIA GENERALLY RECEIVED\nX\nNO ATTENTION FROM CORRES ONDENTS COVERING THE STRIKE\nAND SUPPORTERS CALLING FROM THE WEST.: MARIA IS\nD\nHANDICAPPED BY HER LACK OF ENGLISH AND HER ESTRANGE-\nMENT FROM HER ENGLISH-SPEAKING SON. SHE CANNOT speak\nDIRECTLY WITH MOST WESTERN SUPPORTERS AND MANY\nS\nCORRESPONDENTS, BUT NONE OF THE OTHER PENTECOSTALS\nIS WILLING TO INTERPRET FOR HER. SINCE THE ENLARGE-\nMENT OF THE PENTECOSTALS' LIVING QUARTERS TO TWO\nROOMS -- A MOVE TAKEN TO GIVE THE SIX MORE PRIVACY\nAND, WE HOPED, TO COOL TEMPERS STRAINED BY CLOSE\nLIVING CONDITIONS -- ARGUMENTS BETWEEN MARIA AND\nTHE OTHERS HAVE GROWN CONSIDERABLY WORSE. TIMOFEI\nCHMYKHALOV HAS IN EFFECT BECOME A MEMBER OF THE\nVASHCHENKO FAMILY, TAKING THEIR SIDE IN INTER-FAMILY\nDISPUTES, SUPPORTING, IN MARIA'S VIEW, THE INTERESTS\nOF THE VASHCHENKOS ABOVE THOSE OF HIS OWN FAMILY,\nAND IGNORING MARIA. TIMOFEI SHARES A BEDROOM WITH\nHIS MOTHER BUT SPENDS THE GREATER PART OF HIS DAY\nWITH THE VASHCHENKOS IN AN ADJOINING ROOM. MARIA\nHAS ACCUSED THE VASHCHENKOS OF STEALING HER SON AWAY\nAND DEMANDED THAT THEY RELEASE HIM FROM THEIR INFLUENCE.\n3. COMMENT: THE VASHCHENKOS' AND CHMYKHALOVS'\nDECLASSIFIED IN PART\nNLRR\nF06-114/9\n10606\nCONF IDENTIAL\nBY KMLI NARA DATE4/7/2011\nCONF IDENT IAL\nNATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL\nMESSAGE CENTER\nPAGE 02 OF 02 MOSCOW 2355\nDTG: 261408Z FEB 82 PSN: 031627\nSQUABBLES BEGAN LONG BEFORE THEY ENTERED THE EMBASSY.\nTHE TWO FAMILIES were MEMBERS OF DIFFERENT UNREGIS-\nTERED PENTECOSTAL CHURCHES IN CHERNOGORSK THAT HAD\nE\nSPLIT LARGELY OVER PETER VASHCHENKO S INTERPRETATION\nX\nOF CERTAIN DOCTRINES. DISCORD BETWEEN THE TWO FAMILIES\nWAS SUSPENDED FOR A SHORT TIME when THEY MADE THEIR\nD\nJOINT TRIP TO THE EMBASSY IN 1978. WHEN THEY\nUNEXPECTEDLY ENDED UP IN REFUGE here, THE OLD DIVISIONS\nQUICKLY FLARED. THE VASHCHENKOS WERE LARGELY THE\nS\nAGGRESSIVE PARTY IN THE EARLY DISPUTES, SPREADING\nFALSE ACCOUNTS THAT MARIA WAS TRYING TO LIVE TOO\nWELL IN THE EMBASSY, DEFAMING MARIA AS A LIAR AND\nENCOURAGING BOTH SUPPORTERS AND THE EMBASSY TO ABANDON\nTHE CHMYKHALOVS WHOSE CASE FOR EMIGRATION, THE\nVASHCHENKOS MAINTAIN, IS NOWHERE NEAR AS GOOD AS THAT\nOF THEIR FAMILY. NONETHELESS, MARIA HAS CLEARLY\nE\nINSTIGATED THE LATEST DISCORD BY INSISTENTLY DEMANDING\nTHAT THE VASHCHENKOS \"RETURN her SON TO HER. HEATED\nX\nSHOUTING MATCHES BETWEEN MARIA AND THE VASHCHENKOS\nARE NOW DAILY OCCURRENCES. CONSOFFS have APPEALED\nD\nTO THE SIX SEVERAL TIMES TO LIVE TOGETHER PEACEABLY\nAS CHRISTIANS AND have POINTED OUT THE NEGATIVE IMPACT\nSUCH DISCORD WILL HAVE ON SUPPORT FOR THE PENTECOSTALS\nS\nIN THE WEST -- ALL TO NO AVAIL.\nE\nFOIA(b) (6)\nX\nD\nS\nE\nBT\nX\nD\nS\nCONF IDENTIAL\n36\nCONF IDENTIAL\nNATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL\nMESSAGE CENTER\nPAGE 01\nMOSCOW 2355\nDTG: 261428Z FEB 82 PSN 021631\nBOBB85\nTOR: 057/17132\nCSN: HCE105\nDISTRIBUTION: MYER-01 SURN-01 PIPE-01 RENT-01 STER-01 -\n/005 A2\nE\nX\nWHTS ASSIGNED DISTRIBUTION:\nD\nSIT:\nEOB:\nI\nS\nPRIORITY\nUTS3784\nDE RUEHMO #2355/02 0571412\nP 261408Z FEB 82\nFM AMEMBASSY MOSCOW\nE\nTO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2148\nX\nAMCONSUL LENINGRAD 6201\nD\nSECTION 02 OF 02 MOSCOW 02355\nI\nEXDIS\nS\nDEPT FOR EUR/SOV\nFOIA(b)(6)\nE\nHARTMAN\nBT\nX\nD\nI\nS\nE\nX\nD\nI\nS\nCONF IDENTIAL\nPENTECOSTALS 31\nDECLASSIFIED\nCONF IDENT\nNATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL\nDissidents\nNLRF066-114/9*10608\nMESSAGE CENTER\nBY KML NARA DATE 4/7/2011.\n10608\nPAGE 01 OF 02 MOSCOW 3872\nDTG: 161734Z NOV 82 PSN: 009511\nEOB635\nAN011120\nTOR: 319/1737Z\nCSN: EHA941\nDISTRIBUTION: MYER-01 GUHN-01 PIPE-01 ROBN-01 /004 A2\nWHSR COMMENT: SENT TO VP\nE\nX\nWHTS ASSIGNED DISTRIBUTION:\nSIT: MCF WHLR JP VP SIT EOB\nD\nEOB:\nS\nPRIORITY\nDE RUEHMO #3872 3201734\nP 161734Z NOV 82\nFM AMEMBASSY MOSCOW\nTO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0464\nE\nWHITEHOUSE WASHDC PRIORITY\nX\nINFO AMCONSUL LENINGRAD 9351\nD\nLIMITED OFFICIAL USE MOSCOW 13872\nS\nEXDIS\nDEPT FOR S/S AND EUR/SOV\nWHITE HOUSE FOR THE VICE PRESIDENT' S PARTY\nE.O. 12356: N/A\nTAGS: SHUM, CSCE, UR, OVIP\nSUBJECT: SUBSTANCE OF BUSH/SHULTZ MEETING WITH EMBASSY\n-\nPENTECOSTALS\nE\nREFS: (A) MOSCOW 13789, (B) MOSCOW 13754\nX\n1. THE LETTERS PREPARED BY THE VASHCHENKO FAMILY\nD\n(PARA 1, REF A) PROVED TO BE AN OUTLINE OF THE COURSE\nOF THE DISCUSSION DURING THE VISIT OF VICE PRESIDENT\nBUSH AND SECRETARY SHULTZ TO THE PENTECOSTAL FAMILIES\nIN REFUGE IN THE EMBASSY ON NOVEMBER 15.\nS\n2. THE LOW-KEY EXCHANGE PROCEEDED IN TURN THROUGH THE\nCONCERNS EXPRESSED IN THE LETTERS. THE SECRETARY ASSURED\nTHE FAMILIES THAT THE U.S. GOVERNMENT SEIZES EVERY\nPOSSIBLE OPPORTUNITY TO RAISE WITH THE SOVIETS THEIR\nCASES AND THOSE OF OTHERS LIKE THEM WHO ARE PERSECUTED\nBECAUSE OF THEIR BELIEFS. VICE PRESIDENT BUSH EXPLORED\nWITH LIUBA VASHCHENKO THE MATTERS OF HER MOTHER'S\n(AUGUSTINA' S) ILLNESS, AND OF POSSIBLE ASSISTANCE IN\nEMIGRATING FROM COUSIN GREGORY, WHO NOW LIVES IN THE FRG.\nD\n(COMMENT: INASMUCH AS THE SUBSTANCE OF THE LETTERS WAS\nDISCUSSED FULLY IN PERSON, EMBASSY BELIEVES NO FORMAL\nWRITTEN RESPONSE TO THE VASHCHENKO LETTERS IS NECESSARY.\nEND COMMENT.)\nS\n3. LIUBA VASHCHENKO, WHO, WITH HER EXCELLENT ENGLISH,\nDOMINATED THE MEETING FROM THE PENTECOSTAL SIDE, THEN\nBROUGHT UP THE MATTER OF A POSSIBLE VISIT TO THE EMBASSY\nBY CHERNOGORSK FAMILY MEMBERS (REF B). UPON LEARNING THAT\nLOCAL AUTHORITIES IN CHERNOGORSK HAVE APPARENTLY AGREED\nTO ALLOW THE VASHCHENKO CHILDREN TO TRAVEL TO MOSCOW,\n(DETAILS REPORTED SEPTEL), THE VICE PRESIDENT SUGGESTED THAT\nTHIS WAS PERHAPS A SIGN OF A CHANGING SOVIET POINT OF VIEW,\nAND REPEATED PRIOR EMBASSY ASSURANCES TO THE FAMILY THAT\nIT WILL DO WHAT IS POSSIBLE TO FACILITATE THE REUNION.\n4. THE MEETING CONCLUDED WITH THE VICE PRESIDENT' S AND\nSECRETARY' S RENEWED EXPRESSIONS OF SUPPORT FOR THE\nFAMILIES' DESIRE TO EMIGRATE, AND WITH THANKS FROM BOTH\nTHE CHMYKHALOVS AND VASHCHENKOS FOR THE VISIT.\n5.\nTHIS MESSAGE HAS NOT BEEN CLEARED BY MEMBERS OF\nCONF IDENT IAL\n38\nCONF IDENT IAL\nNATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL\nMESSAGE CENTER\nPAGE 02 OF 02 MOSCOW 3872\nDTG: 161734Z NOV 82 PSN: 009511\nVICE PRESIDENT' S OR SECRETARY' S PARTY.\nHARTMAN\n.\nBT\nEXQ-0\nEXQ-0\nEXQIS\nEXQIS\nCONF IDENT IAL\n12/22 PENTECOSTALS 39\nTESTIMONY OF THOMAS W. SIMONS, JR.\nDIRECTOR, OFFICE OF SOVIET UNION AFFAIRS\nDEPARTMENT OF STATE\nBEFORE THE\nHOUSE SUBCOMMITTEE ON IMMIGRATION, REFUGEES, AND INTERNATIONAL LAW\nCOMMITTEE ON THE JUDICIARY\n16 DECEMBER 1982\nSENATE BILL 312\n40\nMr. Chairman:\nI am pleased to have this opportunity to present the\nSenate Bill 312\nDepartment of State's views on\nBIGI\nwhich would grant permanent resident alien status to\nthose members of the Chmykhalov and Vashchenko families\ncurrently living in refuge in the American Embassy in Moscow.\nAs I testified in November, 1981, in hearings before the Senate\nJudiciary Committee, the U.S. Government takes a strong and\ncontinuing interest in the plight of these two Pentecostalist\nfamilies. We are firmly committed to helping them seek the\nemigration they desire and the freedom of movement and freedom\nof religious expression which are provided for under the\nHelsinki Final Act. The thirteen months since I testified last\nfor the Department of State on the legislation under\nconsideration have been an eventful time for the Vashchenkos\nand Chmykhalovs, and I would like to begin this present report\nby briefly reviewing the events of that period, and the role\nplayed by our Embassy in Moscow.\nLate last December two members of the Vashchenko family in\nrefuge in the Embassy, the mother Augustina and the eldest\ndaughter Lidiya, embarked on a hunger strike in the hope of\nencouraging a favorable resolution of the families'\nlong-standing emigration case. From the outset of Augustina's\nand Lidiya's strike, the Embassy provided the two women with\n41\n-2-\nthe most thorough medical supervision in its power, while\nurging them to cease the strike, which became increasingly\nhazardous to their health. The Embassy also facilitated\ncommunications between the Vashchenkos and their supporters in\nthe United States and elsewhere, and these supporters also\nurged Augustina and Lidiya to abandon their strike. In spite\nof these pleas, mother and daughter continued their hunger\nstrike. Finally, in late January, the best medical advice\navailable held that Lidiya faced irreversible damage to her\nhealth unless she received medical attention only available\noutside the Embassy. Since the Soviet authorities did not see\nfit to agree that she should receive it in a Western country,\nthe only alternative was hospitalization in Moscow, which took\nplace January 30. During her stay in the hospital, she was\nfrequently visited by Embassy officers, who conveyed messages\nfrom her family and monitored her return to health. On\nFebruary 11, Lidiya checked out of the hospital, and, along\nwith her sister Vera and brother Sasha, who had travelled to\nMoscow from the family's hometown of Chernogorsk, Siberia,\nvisited those members of her family still in refuge in the\nEmbassy. The Embassy facilitated this visit to the fullest\nextent. The next day Lidiya, Sasha, and Vera departed for\nChernogorsk, and Augustina subsequently abandoned her hunger\nstrike on learning that her children had arrived home safely.\nOver the following several months the Chmykhalov and\nVashchenko families encountered a number of disappointing\n42\n-3-\ndevelopments in their emigration case. In February, the\napplications of the Chmykhalovs were refused by the local OVIR\n-- the Soviet Office of Visas and Registration -- because those\ndocuments were three years old. In March, Lidiya was again\nprevented from applying for emigration, despite the fact that\nSoviet authorities had earlier claimed that her return to\nChernogorsk was a precondition for the consideration of her\napplication. It was also informally suggested by the OVIR that\nshe had broken Soviet law by residing in the American Embassy.\nDuring the spring of this year the hopes of the Chernogorsk\nVashchenkos were temporarily raised by periodic reports from\nOVIR that their applications to renounce Soviet citizenship\nwere \"under consideration\". At the same time the family was\nsubjected to harassment ranging from vilification in the Soviet\nmedia to threats of court proceedings and outright violence.\nThe several demarches which the U.S. Government made that\nspring on behalf of the two families did not bring positive\nresults, for in early June Soviet authorities denied the\nVashchenkos' applications to renounce Soviet citizenship and\nrepeated the familiar position that all family members had to\nreturn to Chernogorsk before they could expect action on their\ncase. Disheartened by the continued intransigence of Soviet\nauthorities towards her family's plight, Lidiya in late June\nbegan a hunger strike in Chernogorsk, and on July 1 Augustina\nand Liliya, Lidiya's sister, likewise began hunger strikes of\ntheir own in the Embassy.\n43\n-4-\nOnce again, the Embassy did all it could to represent and\npromote the family's interests, by making representations to\nthe Soviet Government on their behalf, facilitating\ncommunications between the Vashchenkos and their supporters in\nthe West, and monitoring the health of Liliya and Augustina\nclosely. The recurrence of Augustina's colitis increased our\nconcern, even though during the second hunger strike the\nVashchenkos occasionally took fruit juices to reduce the\nharmful effects of the fast. Nevertheless, despite such\nprecautions, the hunger strike produced potentially worrisome\nmedical side effects, and it took the Embassy and the family's\nsupporters more than two months to convince Augustina and\nLiliya to abandon their hunger strike, which they officially\nended on September 13. As before, the Soviet Government\nremained unmoved.\nMost recently, twelve members of the Vashchenko family were\npermitted by Soviet authorities to come to Moscow in order to\nvisit their family members in the Embassy. The Embassy had\nmade clear before the trip began that in order to ensure a\nsuccessful visit only two members of the Chernogorsk\nVashchenkos would be allowed to enter the Embassy at one time,\nwith visits of the twelve being spaced over several hours or\nseveral days, and that none of the visitors would be able to\nstay overnight in the Embassy, although the Embassy would help\nthe visitors in seeking housing elsewhere. Unfortunately, the\nChernogorsk Vashchenkos and the members of the family inside\n44\n-5-\nthe Embassy refused to meet with each other in accordance with\nthese arrangements once the trip had begun, and we were unable\nto persuade. them to agree to do so during the time of their\nstay in Moscow. As discussions with the Vashchenkos were\ncontinuing on this problem, Soviet authorities last week\ninstructed the visiting Vashchenkos to leave Moscow, and we\nunderstand they are now in Ryazan. We are continuing\ndiscussions on this matter with the Vashchenkos and with the\nSoviets. We hope that a visit under the appropriate conditions\ncan be arranged soon, and that the Soviet authorities will\nreconsider their decision to order the visiting Vashchenkos out\nof Moscow. Meanwhile, we will continue our efforts to secure\nthe emigration of all the members of the Vashchenko and\nChmykhalov families.\nThe preceding chronology covers only the major developments\nin the cases of the two families over the past year. It is a\nsober history, and I put it before you at a moment -- the\nholiday season -- that would be a particularly welcome occasion\nto bring it to a happy end, and let these good people pursue\ntheir religious faith and practice in an environment of their\nchoice. For the sad present, however we must draw the lessons\nof that history. I believe there are two: a clear record of\nU.S. Government support for the Pentecostalists' goal, and an\nequally clear record of Soviet unwillingness to act on their\nrequest under any terms except those defined by the\nauthorities. For more than two decades these two families have\n45\n-6-\nsought nothing more ambitious than their basic human right to\nan environment in which they can freely express their religious\nconvictions. As a result of their beliefs, the members of\nthese families have been visited with every sort / of harassment,\nranging from verbal abuse and insinuations, through physical\nabuse and economic penalities, up to imprisonment and forcible\nseparation of family members. Even to this day, the Soviet\nauthorities maintain the precondition that before their\napplications to emigrate will be considered again, all the\nmembers of the family, including those currently in the\nEmbassy, must first reside in their hometown of Chernogorsk,\nSiberia.\nDespite the Soviet Government's record of inflexibility on\nthis issue, the United States Government continues to stand\nfirmly behind the Chmykhalovs and the Vashchenkos in their\nefforts to emigrate. The Department of State shares the\nfrustration which the intransigent attitude of the Soviet\nauthorities has caused among the Embassy Pentecostalists and\ntheir supporters, and we are in favor of every reasonable\ns\ninitiative which might contribute to the common goal --\nemigration for the Pentecostalist families. But we must also\nnote that the major criterion by which any proposed action to\nhelp the Pentecostalists must be evaluated is its\neffectiveness: that is, does the proposed action help or hinder\nthe family's chances for emigration? In this regard, we try to\nbe particularly careful that our justifiable dissatifaction\n-7-\nover the lack of progress on the situation of the Vashchenkos\nand Chmykhalovs is not translated into measures which could\nprejudice -- perhaps forever -- the families' chances to\nemigrate. It is in this spirit that we believe the bill before\nus today should be carefully examined.\nFor those of us who are frustrated over the Soviet\nGovernment's unwillingness to resolve favorably the plight of\nthe Pentecostalists, S 312 appears to offer the opportunity to\ndo something positive. The Vashchenko and Chmykhalov families\nthemselves are highly in favor of this legislation. They\nbelieve that its passage will demonstrate the U.S. Government's\nofficial and permanent commitment to their cause. That this\nwould be a significant morale booster for the families as well\nas for their supporters cannot be disputed, and is a point in\nfavor of the bill.\nS\nS312\nAt the same time, it is worth noting that\nis\nnot\nneeded to permit the U.S. Government to document the members of\neither or both families for entry into the United States. Such\ndocumentation can be easily and quickly accomplished under the\nprovisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act and the\nRefugee Act of 1980. It is not U.S. law that stands in the way\nof these families, but rather Soviet policy, which the Soviet\nauthorities insist is based on Soviet law and regulation.\n47\n-8-\nSection 3 of the\nbill provides that the members of\nthe Vashchenko and Chmykhalov families currently residing in\nrefuge in the Embassy will be considered physically present and\nresiding in the United States since June 27, 1978, when they\nentered the Embassy. This provision suggests reliance on the\nconcept of extra-territoriality-- the idea that the land occupied\nby an Embassy is part and parcel of the sovereign territory of\nthe sending state. This is a concept that has no foundation in\ninternational law and that has been long rejected by the United\nStates and the international community in general. Consequently,\nwhile our Embassy and its compound in the USSR are inviolable\nunder international law, and while we are able to extend our\nprotection to the Pentecostalist families as long as they\ncontinue to live in refuge within the Embassy, legally they\nremain Soviet citizens, residing in the Soviet Union and subject\nto Soviet laws. The United States cannot, whether by legislation\nor any other means, unilaterally alter this basic legal situation.\nIn considering the merits of this bill, our primary\ncriterion must be its effect on the achievement of the\nfamilies' ultimate goal - emigration from the Soviet Union.\nOne aspect of this question is the likely effect the bill will\nhave on the Soviet Government, since it is responsible for the\nfamilies' current sad plight and since it alone has the power\nto resolve the situation positively. There is no question that\nshould this bill be passed, under U.S. law the members of the\n-9-\nVashchenko and Chmykhalov families will be legally permanent\nresident aliens of the United States. However, in the eyes of\nthe Soviet Government their status will not have changed in any\nway. The Soviets will continue to treat them as Soviet\ncitizens living in the USSR and subject to its laws and\nregulations, as they are entitled to do under generally\naccepted principles of international law. In addition the\n312\nSoviets would almost certainly view the passage of продали\nas\nan attempt to extend U.S. legislative jurisdiction to Soviet\ncitizens and, therefore, force them to take a position which\nwould further harden their attitude against the\nPentecostalists. The Soviet authorities would be motivated to\ndemonstrate to the Soviet citizenry and to the international\ncommunity that the U.S. Government cannot unilaterally accord\nSoviet citizens some form of special status or protection under\nU.S. law. The practical effect of this would almost certainly\nbe even greater intransigence on the part of the Soviet\nGovernment on this issue.\nThere is no doubt that the events of the past year as I\nhave recounted them to you earlier in my testimony are most\ndisappointing. If anything, it would appear that the Soviet\nposition on the emigration request of the Pentecostalist\nfamilies has hardened. In view of the increased intransigence\nof the Soviet Government, one can legitimately ask how this\nbill could make the Soviets any less opposed to resolving the\nfamilies' plight.\n-10-\nWe at the State Department have found from sad experience\nthat there is no quick and easy solution to the dilemma faced\nby the Vashchenkos and Chmykhalovs. Given the current state of\nour relations with the Soviet Union, it is not possible to be\noptimistic that the Soviet authorities will change their\napproach to the families' emigration applications anytime in\nthe near future. If they did, they could be sure of a positive\neffect on U.S. Government attitudes and on U.S.-Soviet\nbilateral relations and they know this to be true. So we\ncontinue to be hopeful, if not optimistic. In the meantime,\nhowever, we believe that we owe it to the families to keep all\ntheir options open. It is our opinion that passage of this\nbill would reduce rather than increase the chances that the\nSoviets would in the future decide on a positive solution to\nthe Pentecostalists' problem. Our past efforts on behalf of\nthese families have not been successful, but we will continue\nto work for them and remain hopeful that in time a solution\nwill be found. We believe that eventually a time and situation\nmust come when the Soviets will finally see that it is in their\nbest interests to allow the families to leave the USSR. But we\ncannot support actions that -- in our view, based on our\nexperience in dealing with the Soviets over the years -- are on\nbalance unlikely to help achieve the objective we and the\nfamilies hold dear -- emigration from the USSR to the country\nof their choice.\n50\n-11-\nWe believe that over the past four and a half years the\nDepartment of State has demonstrated beyond any reasonable\ndoubt our determination to assist the Vashchenko and Chmykhalov\nfamilies in any way we can to achieve their goal of emigrating\nfrom the USSR. If we believed that the passage of S 312 could\nreally help the families, we would be the first to endorse it.\nUnfortunately, however, we must conclude that its passage will\nonly close Soviet minds, and postpone the day when they decide\nthe families' case in a positive light. This remains our\nproblem with the bill, and the reason why the Department is\nunable to testify in favor of it.\nTo: DICK MORRIS 51 12/22/\nFROM! PAULA DOBRIANSKY\nPentacost\nI am writing in response to your letter concerning the Pentecostalists\nwho are living in refuge at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow. These\ntwo families -- Vashchenko and Chmykhalov -- have long desired\nto emigrate from the Soviet Union.\nAs you are aware, the ultimate responsibility for the resolution\nof the plight of these individuals lies squarely with the Soviet\ngovernment which refuses to allow them to leave the USSR. To\ndate, Soviet authorities have not seen fit on either legal or\nhumanitarian grounds to assure the families that they and 22 of\ntheir close relatives in their home town of Chernogorsk will be\npermitted to emigrate. The families have received invitations\nfrom a number of supporters in the United States and the U.S.\nGovernment stands ready to issue entry visas for them immediately\nonce they receive permission to leave the Soviet Union. A number\nof Western governments including our own have urged the Soviet\ngovernment to grant them that permission.\nUnfortunately, the Soviet government has not been positive.\nLidiya Vashchenko has been officially informed that her exit visa\napplication as well as those of her relatives will not be formally\naccepted for processing until the family members at the Embassy\nalso return to Chernogorsk. The Vashchenko and Chmykhalov families\nin Chernogorsk have encountered surveillance, harassment and a\nvariety of procedural obstacles in their emigration application.\nOur government regards this new manifestation of Soviet intransigence\nand insensitivity to the families' plight as a deplorable disregard\nfor their their individual rights and those general human right\nprinciples enunciated in a number of international agreements to\nwhich the Soviet Union is a signatory.\nMeanwhile, we have made it clear to the six family members remaining\nin the Embassy that they are free to remain there in refuge.\nWe appreciate your concern for the welfare of the Pentacostalists\nand for their desire to emigrate to a place where they may live\nin freedom. The United States Government is doing everything\npossible to assist them in fulfilling this desire.\n**Other points you may want to include:\n--the Pentecostalists have received considerable high level USG\nattention\n--the USG has made numerous representations to Soviet authorities\n(at all levels) on their behalf\n--in November, they met with Vice President Bush and Secretary Shultz\nin Moscow who both reaffirmed the Administration's firm commitment\nto do everything possible to secure exit visas\n--the Embassy has provided them with the best medical care; we have\na doctor and a nurse practitioner who have performed periodic\nexaminations\n--none of them are on a hunger strike at this time.\nPentecoslales\n1372\n52\nMEMORANDUM\nNATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL\nSECRET\nSENSITIVE\nMarch 2, 1983\nACTION\nMEMORANDUM FOR WILLIAM P. CLARK\nFROM:\nPAULA DOBRIANSKY\nSUBJECT:\nSoviet Message on Embassy Pentecostalists\nAttached at Tab A is a memorandum from Secretary Shultz to the\nPresident concerning a message on the Pentecostalists delivered\nto State by Minister-Counselor Oleg Sokolov of the Soviet\nEmbassy. At Tab I is a memorandum from you to the President\nwhich forwards the Secretary's memorandum.\nRECOMMENDATION\nThat your forward the memorandum at Tab I to the President.\nApprove\nDisapprove\nAttachments:\nTab I\nMemorandum to the President\nTab A\nMemorandum from Secretary Shultz, February 28\nCC: John Lenczowski\nCarnes Lord\nRoger Robinson\nWilliam Stearman\nDECLASSIFIED\nSECRET\nSENSITIVE\nWhite House Guidelinos, 1997\nDeclassify on: OADR\nBy\nCrs\nNARA, Date 7/9/02\n10598\n53\n1372\nMEMORANDUM\nTHE WHITE HOUSE\nWASHINGTON\nSECRET\nSENSITIVE\nINFORMATION\nMEMORANDUM FOR THE PRESIDENT\nFROM:\nWILLIAM P. CLARK\nSUBJECT:\nSoviet Message on Embassy Pentecostalists\nGeorge Shultz forwarded you a memorandum (Tab A) concerning a\nmessage on the Pentecostalists delivered to State by the Minister-\nCounselor at the Soviet Embassy, Sokolov. The message reiterates\nthe standard Soviet position that the U.S. bears full responsibility\nfor both keeping the Pentecostals in the U.S. Embassy and for\nencouraging them to leave. It also states that the families\nwill not be persecuted if they leave and \"the question of their\nleaving the USSR will be considered,\" with \"account taken of\nall the circumstances involved.\"\nBased on the tone of his discussions with Sokolov, George\nspeculates that the Soviets may want to resolve this long-\nstanding problem. He asserts that although this message adheres\nto the standard line, Soviet authorities may in fact permit the\nPentecostalists to emigrate once they return home. After George\ndiscusses this matter further with Ambassador Hartman, he will\nforward you his recommendations.\nWhile this interpretation of Soviet actions cannot be ruled out,\nI am skeptical that the Soviets have any intention of permitting\nthe Pentecostalists to leave. In February 1982, one of the\nPentecostalists, Lidiya Vashchenko did return to Chernogorsk on\nthe condition (as promised by Soviet authorities) that her exit\nvisa application be reviewed. Since that time, she has been\nprevented from applying for emigration. Hence, if we are to\nconvince the families to leave the Embassy, clear assurances by\na high-level Soviet official that the Pentecostalists will be\npermitted to emigrate should be attained.\nPrepared by:\nPaula Dobriansky\nAttachment:\nTab A\nMemorandum from Secretary Shultz, February 28\nDECLASSIFIED\nSECRET\nSENSITIVE\nDeclassify on: OADR\nNLRRF06-114/9#10598\nBY\nKML\nNARA DATE4/7/2011\n54\n10607\nTHE SECRETARY OF STATE\n1372\nWASHINGTON\nSECRET/SENSITIVE\nFebruary 28, 1983\nTo:\nTHE PRESIDENT\nFrom:\nGeorge P. Shultz\nSubject:\nSoviet Message on Embassy Pentecostalists\nDobrynin is ill, and called to ask that I receive his\nMinister-Counselor, Sokolov, briefly this afternoon. Sokolov\nbrought with him the text of a message from Moscow on the\nPentecostalists in our Embassy there. The text is attached.\nThe message begins with the standard Soviet line that we\nare responsible for both the problem -- keeping Soviet citizens\nin the Embassy -- and the solution -- making them leave. It\nalso reiterates previous statements that the Soviets will not\n\"persecute\" them if they leave. Then, in what Sokolov\ndescribed as \"the constructive part\" of the message, it says\nthat if they return to their home town in Siberia, \"the\nquestion of their leaving the USSR will be considered,\" with\n\"account taken of all the circumstances involved.\"\nFormally, this does not go beyond what the Soviets have\nsaid before. Nevertheless, the Soviets are obviously trying to\nbe responsive to your deep interest in the Pentecostalists'\nplight. Thus, although the written message keeps their formal\nline intact, they may in fact be offering a kind of assurance\nthat emigration will be permitted if the families return home\nfirst.\nThere are two problems with this. First, the families have\nhad several lifetimes of broken promises, and it may take a\ngreat deal more than this sort of vague and masked assurance\n(if that is what it is) to convince them to leave their refuge\nin the Embassy and apply for emigration from home. Second,\ngiven the vagueness of the message, we should be skeptical too.\nI will be reviewing the issue of how we should respond, and\nwill want to get the views of Ambassador Art Hartman, who will\nbe here for consultations next week. I will then be giving you\nmy recommendations.\nAttachment: As stated\nDECLASSIFIED\nNLRRF066-114/9*10607\nSECRET/SENSITIVE\nDECL. OADR\nBY KML NARA DATE 4/7/2011\nSECRET/SENSITIVE\nTEXT OF SOVIET MESSAGE ON PENTECOSTALISTS\nWe already explained to the American side our principled\nposition on this subject. Keeping Soviet citizens in the U.S.\nEmbassy for such a long time is clearly illegal and abnormal.\nTheir further stay there only aggravates the situation, and the\nresponsibility for that fully rests with the American side.\nThe resolution of this issue depends precisely on the American\nside: the above mentioned persons should leave the U.S.\nEmbassy.\nIn this connection we can say definitely that no one is\ngoing to persecute them, there are no such intentions.\nAccordingly, after those persons return to the place of their\nresidence, the question of their leaving the USSR will be\nconsidered. It will be done with account taken of all the\ncircumstances involved in this matter.\nSECRET/SENSITIVE"
}