SOLIDARITY EMBARRASSES MOSCOW

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00806R000201090014-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 25, 2010
• Sequence Number: 14
• Publication Date: October 4, 1981
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

STAT
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/06/25: CIA-RDP90-00806R000201090014-4
ARTICLE AP
ON F11-GE
NEV YORK TIMES
4 OCTOBER 1981
Soviets Seek Non-Polish Scapegoat
"Solidarity" Embarrasses Moscow
was surprised and flattered-at the same time. Last Tuesday I re-
I ceived phone calls from a number of reporters. There's nothing
new in that., But this time the questions were not about the teacher
strike in Philadelphia, or the money problems of Boston, or the
Reagan budget cuts or the fight over tuition tax cr dits. This time,
the story that prompted their calls came from far away: I was being
attacked by Radio Moscow,
A week ago an -information office opened in New York City
which will. provide the American press with direct news and infor-
mation from the Polish trade, union, Solidarity.. The information
center, which consists of three small office rooms, is located in the
same building as the United Federation of Teachers.
According to Moscow Radio, this information office is being
run by the CIA and- '.Albert Shanker, president of the United Fed-
eration of Teachers, funnels agency money into it." ..
The radio report was a summary of a full length article which
.was to appear the following day in the Moscow newspaper, Literary
Gazette. According to the report, "It has become known that the
CIA has taken under its wing the information` bureau of Poland's
Solidarity. trade union federation, which opened in New York."
According td the United Press'International, "the radio did not offer
any evidence to back up its allegations." % ;.:.
The Moscow allegations are, of course, completely false. But,
false and ridiculous as they are, they need to be answered so that
no one will mistake silence for assent.
The information office is independent. It receives no money
from U.S. Government sources directly or indirectly. It pays rent,
and pays for its expenses-telephone, telex, etc. The information
center will eventually be economically self-sufficient, operating with
funds, received by selling subscriptions, to a news service- from Po-
land. Meanwhile, in order to start its operation, it has received con-
tributions from private sources'including the AFL-CIO.
Says Radio Moscow: "A CIA agent, Albert Shanker, is respon
sible for material supplies. He uses the cover of leader of the teachers
labor federation. This organization annually receives $ 100,000 from
the CIA for' international contacts and activities to stimulate the
formation of so-called free trade unions in other countries.
ACON7TVVED
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/06/25: CIA-RDP90-00806R000201090014-4