14-00000 ( SEGRE O¢ SUBJ: NOSENKO, Yuri GO KUT &EPRODUCE RETURN TO CIA 16 March 1976 MEMORANDUM FOR THE RECORD SUBJECT : Meetings with PDDONOR on 12 March 1976 REFERENCE: C/CI/R&A/B Memo dated 8 January 1976 1. CI Staff representatives met with PDDONOR in the pagnington area on 12 March 1976 to obtd4in details of. PDY ONOR's contacts with John Barron and ‘others which took place during the first week of March. In the course of discussions with PDDONOR, we learned that, in addition to a short list of Agency and FBI personnel (see Ref), two other individuals know his current legal name, address and telephone number. They are John Barron of Readers' Digest and Denald Jameson, a retired CIA staffer. Z. Two meetings were held with PDDONOR: a breakfast meeting attended by C/CI/R&A and the undersigned and a follow-up discussion later in the morning attended by of CI/R&A/E and the undersigned. At both sessions PDDONOR was warned of the dangers to his safety and privacy posed by contacts which we did not know about and clear in advance. lie was asked for details of his contacts with Barron and others on 2-5 March. He was told . that we would obtain a local post office box for his use. _ Substantive details of the conversations with PDDONOR are set forth in the attachment to this memorandun,. 3. Throughout the meetings, PDDONOR seemed largely unconcerned about the dangers of exposure and indicated that he had complete confidence in Barron and Jameson. Lee H. Wigren C/CI/RGA/E Attachment: AS stated
14-00000 -~2- 2. PDDONOR said that the purpose of his trip was to assist John Barron of Readers' Digest with a T.V. interview to be made by a Dutch camera crew and to meet with a man who was writing a book on President Kennedy's assassination to be published by the Readers' Digest. PDDONOK said that arrangements for this trip had been made by Mr. Donald Jameson, an Agency retiree, and that he received no money from anyone for his services during this trip. The trip was made on his own time while he was on leave. 3. PDDONOR and his wife arrived in the Washington area late in the afternoon of 2 March. After checking into a motel they drove to Barron's neighborhood to be sure they could locate his house. Early the next day PDDONOR's wife drove him to Barron's house when he met Barron and members of a 5 or 6 man Dutch TV crew that was to film an interview with Barron. PDDONOR had known in advance of this interview and agreed to participate in it if his face was not photo- graphed. The filming was done in Barron's house and in his backyard. 4. In the late afternoon of 3 March PDDONOR took a taxi from his motel to the Washington offices of Readers' Digest where he arrived at 4:00 pm and met with Barron. Barron, whom he had previously met in 1970, stated that Readers' Digest was planning a new book on President Kennedy's assassination and that he would appreciate any information that PDDONOR might be able to contribute to it. He said that Readers' Digest had contracted with Edward Epstein to write this book which was to be published in about a year. Fulton Ousler aka Tony was also present at this meeting. PDDONOR had previously met Pusler, through - Kenneth Gilmore, a senior Readers! Digest officer. Barron asked if PDDONOR would object to having his comments taped. He agreed with the proviso that he must review the transcript for accuracy. Barron left and Edward Epstein arrived shortly thereafter. 5. PDDONOR described Epstein as a bright young man-- probably a professor at a University~--who had written several books. As part of the interview PDDONOR explained how the KGB First and Second Chief Directorates worked. During the interview PDDONOR learned that Epstein hoped to visit the Soviet Union to gather additional information on his book on President Kennedy. He also learned that Epstein had visited the Soviet Union as a tourist in 1959, As part
14-00000 of his efforts to "educate" Epstein he pointed out that undoubtedly Epstein's name would appear on the Soviet computers and that he would not be able to interview any sources in connection with his forthcoming book who where not KGB controlled. The interview lasted until 7:30 pm after which time PDDONOR, Ousler, and Epstein went to dinner. Following dinner PDDONOR took a taxi and returned to his motel. 6. On 4 March PDDONOR met with Donald Jameson at the Marriot Motel near the 14th Street Bridge. Jameson took him to the Smithsonian and introduced him ténStar, head of the George Kennah Institute(é) Star asked PDDONOR to prepare a@ paper on Soviet activities against foreign correspondents in the Soviet Union which would be presented to a symposium of journalists who had previously served in Moscow. He ‘ Wanted PDDONOR's comments some time in April so that he would be able to present them ahead of time to Harrison Salisbury, of the New York Times who would summarize then for a meeting of journalists sometime in June or July 1976. Mr. Wigren asked if we might see these comments first and PDDONOR readily agreed. The meeting with Mr. Star lasted about 40 minutes after which PDDONOR took a taxi and returned to his motel. 7. As requested, PDDONOR telephoned Barron to inquire about progress in transcribing the tapes. Barron said that the transcribing had only just gotten under way and was being done by his secretary. In response to the direct question whether anybody other than Barron, Ousler and Epstein had seen it,, Barron said, "No, only Epstein, Tony and me." After completing the call, PDDONOR admitted that Barron had his current name, address and telephone number and that he had obtained this information from Jameson. 8. PDDONOR also added that Barron knew about his (PDDONOR's) manuscript book in which the British are interested. Barron wanted to show the manuscript to Robert Conquest, a noted authority on Soviet Intelligence, in the hope that he might write an introduction to it. PDDONOR commented that he was determined to s§e that his book was published even if he had to pay for it himself. He added, "If the Soviet publish our hames why shouldn't we publish theirs?"
14-00000 ° ATTACHMENT A. Breakfast meeting ~- 12 March 1976 1. Mr. McCoy (C/CI/RGA) and Mr. Wigren (C/CI/R&A/B) met with PDDONOR for breakfast at a restaurant near his motel. Mr. McCoy began by mentioning What we had learned through less than friendly channels of PDDONOR's contacts in early March with John Barron and ethers and of a tape recorded interview made at that time by a Mr. Epstein. He stressed the threat to PDDONOR"s safety and privacy posed by contacts of this sort which were not known to us in advance, 2. PDDONOR briefly outlined his activities during the 2-5 March visit. These included participating in the filming of an interview Sr Dutch TV ; and a taped conference with Edward Epstein who is preparing a Readers’ Digest sponsored book on the assassination of President Kennedy. He also mentioned a meeting at the Smithsonian with a professor who is planning a symposium for jotrnals on the problems of working in the USSR. “ 3. Mr. McCoy emphasized the dangers inherent in the taped interview. PDDONOR said he was certain that Barron would handle it securely but volunteered to call Barron to check on progress on the transcribing of the tape. He Seemed to accept Mr. McCoy's Suggestion that we provide him a local post office box to which Barron could send the completed transcript. 4. Throughout the breakfast meeting, efforts. were made to convince PDDONOR GF the need to tighten his security ' in general and to fully inform of all proposed centacts before they take p. In conclusion, it was agreed that Mr. Wigren and Mr, of CI/R&A/E would meet later in OF the morning with PDDONOR.~ At that time, PDDONOR's 2-5 March contacts would be covered systematically. 1. Mr. Wigren (C/CI/R§A/E) and Mr, (CI/R&A/B) met with PDDONOR in his motel room from 3 am to 12:00 noon on 12 March. The purpose of this meeting was to obtain a detailed account of PDDONOR's visit to the Washington area on 2-5 March. The following paragraphs contain the informa- tion acquired. . B. Secend meeting - 12 March 1976 Olu! >ee