§ Miss Peters was born in England in 1913, her father being Russian and her mother English. She accompanied her mother to the Soviet Union in 1921. In 1929 her mother adopted Soviet citizenship. Under the impression that she herself had acquired Soviet citizenship by her mother's act, she accepted a Soviet passport in 1933.
§ Miss Peters, who was employed at the Embassy in Moscow as a telephonist, has for some years past been seeking the permission of the Soviet authorities to leave the Soviet Union and come to this country, and the Embassy have been engaged on her behalf in an argument with the Ministry for Foreign Affairs seeking to prove that she is not a Soviet citizen. She is regarded by His Majesty's Government as a British subject, but the Soviet authorities claim her as a Soviet citizen by reason of her mother's adoption of Soviet nationality and her own acceptance of a Soviet passport.
§
On the evening of the 17th January of this year Miss Peters, who had on two earlier occasions been subjected to visits by the Soviet police, disappeared while returning to her flat from the Embassy and has not been heard of since. Sir Maurice Peterson, then H.M. Ambassador in Moscow, addressed a letter to M. Molotov protesting in strong terms against this and two similar examples of interference with Embassy employees. M. Vyshinsky's reply renewed the Soviet argument that Miss Peters was a Soviet citizen and claimed that "the question of the relations between the Soviet authorities and Soviet citizens does not come within the competence of the British Embassy." The texts of these communications are as follows:
Text of Letter from British Ambassador, Moscow, to M. Molotov, 26th February, 1949
I wish to draw your attention to the case of Miss May Peters who has been employed in the British Embassy for the past three years and who disappeared on the evening of 17th January last, having presumably been arrested by the police.
I am aware that Miss Peters was interrogated by police agents on 6th January when she was told that the authorities were displeased at her continued employment at this Embassy and that she would be well advised to leave. Miss Peters declined to do so. She
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was given two days to think over this advice but maintained her refusal at a subsequent interview on 8th January. Her arrest, which followed about a week later was no doubt due to her refusal to take this "advice.
These facts show clearly that intimidation of the most direct kind was brought to bear against an employee of this Embassy. When this proved abortive, Miss Peters was arrested without explanation or notice either at the time or subsequently.
This case is only the latest of a series of similar incidents involving arbitrary interference with my staff, coupled with failure to notify me of the action taken or contemplated. Two earlier cases of complete disappearance and presumed arrest—Mrs. Ackman (Telephonist) and Mrs. Whitehead (Telephonist)—were brought to your attention in my letter of 22nd October, 1948. More recently, I mentioned to Mr. Vyshinsky, on 6th January, other cases in which employees of this Embassy had been subjected to intimidation. Unfortunately, it is clear from Miss Peters' case that no attention whatever has been paid to my representations.
In these circumstances, I am instructed by my Government to protest strongly against the continued persecution of employees of this Embassy which is aggravated in the case of Miss Peters by the fact that her claim to British Nationality has been the subject of discussion with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs over a lengthy period. The Ministry are aware of the grounds on which her claim is based and have never offered any reasoned refutation of them.
I must therefore urge that Miss Peters may either be released immediately or that I may be notified of the grounds for her continued detention.
Translation of text of letter from Mr. Vyshinsky to the British Ambassador, Moscow, 15th March, 1949.
In connection with your letter of 26th February this year, addressed to V. M. Molotov, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the U.S.S.R., I hereby inform you that, as I have already had occasion to explain in a conversation with you on 6th January, the question of the relations between Soviet authorities and Soviet citizens does not come within the competence of the British Embassy, irrespective of where such citizens work, and that, for this reason, the complaints contained in your letter under reference are groundless.
As regards the citizenship of M. Ya. Peters, the point of view of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the U.S.S.R. on this question has been exhaustively set forth in the Ministry's notes to the Embassy dated 22nd January, 8th May and 5th August last year, and the Ministry does not see the necessity for returning anew to this question.
In view of what has been set forth, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the U.S.S.R. rejects the protest you have made as being devoid of any foundation.
I pray you to accept assurances, Mr. Ambassador, of my highest respect.