Authors

Discussion

The recently evolving scholarly interest in the roles and methods of Eastern European Intelligence services in the areas of Global South prove that such research could in many aspects contribute to our deeper understanding of Cold war manoeuvrings. In my presentation I will focus on selected cases of Czechoslovak experts sent to African countries on the basis of bilateral as well as multilateral agreement on cooperation who got in the centre of attention of Czechoslovak Intelligence.

At the first glance, the Czechoslovak experts who passed the selection for professional service abroad enjoyed a number of privileges. They could cross the borders, integrate themselves in internationally-backed projects, internationalize own research, apply for scholarships or internship in top-level scientific centres and even send their children to study in the capitalist West. Thus, staying abroad was a privilege for selected few and Czechoslovak government was very concerned about international networks experts established and maintained during their tenure abroad. In my sample, the experts targeted by Czechoslovak Intelligence held the key positions in foreign administration – they worked as ministerial advisors and university lecturers. I will try to demonstrate what “other obligations” the Czechoslovak government usually associated with expert service abroad. These “obligations” exceeded the duties stipulated by the foreign employer and were connected to Czechoslovak state interests. They included not only monitoring of political mood in foreign country but also industrial espionage and overseeing the deliveries of western technologies. I will analyze the personal profiles of experts selected for cooperation, conditions of recruitment and actual conspiracy work.