Pouch Without a Home

Two weeks ago, a white Mercedes-Benz truck with SOVTRANSAVTO painted in blue Cyrillic letters on its side pulled up to the Swiss border at Basel. The nine-ton tractor-trailer did not need to be inspected, the three Soviets inside insisted, because it was merely a "diplomatic pouch." But Swiss officials refused to accept that. Though the Vienna Convention does not specify a maximum size for a diplomatic pouch, the Swiss pointed out, in practice it almost never covers cartons of more than 450 Ibs. After much haggling, the Swiss allowed the truck to continue to the Soviet mission in Geneva, but only after they had sealed its cargo. In Geneva, the Soviets obstinately refused to disclose the trailer's contents and finally decided to send the truck back to Moscow. Back in Basel, the Swiss unsealed the truck and waved it through into West Germany.

By now, however, the pouch was infamous. Stop, said West German customs officials, who demanded a full inventory. Again the Soviets refused. At week's end, the pouch without a home was in West Germany under heavy guard, its mysterious contents still under wraps.