Washington, 19 November 1996 (RFE/RL) - The United States plans to inform top Russian authorities of its views on the latest espionage case involving an official from the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), who was charged yesterday with selling secrets to Russia's External Security Service.
State Department spokesman Glyn Davies said the United States will make its views "unmistakeably clear to the Russian leadership."
He added that the United States will also take appropriate steps to protect its interests but gave no further details.
U.S. Central Intelligence Agency Director John Deutch told a press conference that the spy, Harold Nicholson, passed highly sensitive information to the Russians, including the identities of CIA officers assigned to Moscow.
Deutsch said the case shows that Russian intelligence services are still actively targeting the CIA and other U.S. security organizations and that the United States must remain vigilant.