The Miernik Dossier

16. REPORT TO WASHINGTON BY THE AMERICAN CHIEF OF STATION IN GENEVA (22 MAY).

1. It is our preliminary judgment, based on Christopher’s reporting and certain other information, that Tadeusz Miernik is attempting to defect to a Western country for operational reasons dictated by the Polish intelligence service. The possibility that the Soviets may be involved in this operation cannot be ignored.

2. Miernik is conducting a stagy show of despair for the benefit of Christopher and other Westerners (e.g., Nigel Collins and Léon Brochard, both of whom are assumed to be agents of their respective national intelligence services). Miernik’s intention seems to be to arouse the sympathy of his friends on a personal level, and the interest of their intelligence services on an official level. The technique has been used before by the Poles. The elaborate nature of the “trimmings” (representations to the WRO by the Polish ambassador, the convenient expiration date of Miernik’s passport, the alleged existence of a hostage sister in Poland) is characteristic of Polish operations.

3. Outside of his personal contacts with Christopher and his other friends, Miernik has behaved in a most rational manner. He has continued to function in his job. He has arranged an assignation with Collins’ mistress (though the reason behind this may be operational, it’s possible that the girl is his cutout). Except for the breakdowns in personal discipline that Christopher has conveniently witnessed and reported, Miernik has maintained his normal schedule and his usual behavior, with two significant exceptions.

4. These two exceptions are his clandestine meeting with Kirnov in the early hours of the morning and his telephone call to Warsaw a little later the same morning. Many of the phrases in this conversation, ostensibly with his sister, could be construed to be a code for telephone use (“There is snow in the Alps,” etc.). If our assumption is correct that Kirnov is a Soviet agent, then there is only one logical explanation for his meeting with Miernik. If Kirnov is clean, then there really is no explanation why he should call on Miernik between three and four o’clock in the morning and spend the entire visit pounding on a typewriter.

5. It can be assumed that Miernik has some immediate operational assignment that depends on a successful defection. If his defection were authentic, or if he were being defected as a longterm asset to the Poles, he would presumably just walk into an embassy and ask for asylum.

6. Please advise whether we should attempt to determine Miernik’s possible assignment through closer surveillance, including audio surveillance of his apartment and telephone.