Aldrich Ames is the most valuable agent of the Soviet Union. Head of the Soviet Department in the counterintelligence service of Central intelligence Service of the USA, a man who decoded all American agents in the Soviet Union, disclosed to KGB all classified documents concerned with “global strategic operations” of the USA and their allies all over the world. Ames cooperated with KGB and Russian foreign intelligence service, since 1985 to 1994 year. He was arrested in February 1994. According to some sources he was betrayed by former KGB agents who escaped to the USA and live there under the auspices of the American government. Former CIA official asserts that Ames informed Soviet and Russian services about hundreds of secret operations and non-official contacts which are not considered as agents inside.
Recalled by his handlers KGB deputy-resident officer in Washington, Colonel Victor Cherkashin and the Councilor of the Soviet embassy in Washington Sergey Divilkovsky, Aldrich told to the Soviet side information not only about spies inside special services and military structures, but about high-ranked officials in the soviet government and stressed that newly-made domestic leaders in Moscow and in soviet republics and their movements are brainchildren of a special CIA’s scheme. It is clear that the major part of information which was decoded by Ames to Moscow had a vital importance as for CIA and for American National Security in general. In order not to make a public outcry they are still keeping it in secret. And that’s why Ames was not executed, but got a life-sentence. And certainly he knows about personality to whom we want to address now.
During the Cold War CIA used an embassy as a mask for implementing espionage on the territory of Moscow and the whole central region. On the territory of the Soviet republics there weren’t such official structures which could provide beneficial activity. On such kind of territory CIA preferred to act through mediators. Special Services of the 3d states were taking a role of mediators. In Caucasian this role was undertaken by Turkish intelligence MIT. After the Second World War thousands of former soviet citizens settled in this country, which traditionally adopts negative position toward Moscow. Creation of illegal agent’s network of spies was a priority for both sides – American and Soviet. After the Second World War KGB had a need of establishing its own channel with CIA on the Turkish direction. The Center preferred to give this сomission to Azerbaijani KGB. There are two widely known way how they did it. The first is operation which was worked out personally by young KGB officer Heydar Aliyev – the future president of Azerbaijan and the Vice – Prime Minister of the USSR, who according to some data directly gave an order from Moscow to militaries ( at that time official of polit beraue in the USSR) not to intervene into Armenian massacre in 1988 and 1990. Essence of this operation concluded in preparing and deploying Soviet citizens from Azerbaijan on Turkish territory targeted on establishing contacts for gathering information. Another way was sending students for studying in Muslim’s Academies in Istanbul and Ankara. Indeed Azerbaijani KGB transferred information about the region including, information about Armenians in Azerbaijan to MIT and CIA. Possible that double and may be triple agent Heydar Aliyev, who was KGB general and according to leaked story had a rank of general in Turkish intelligence MIT, was a long-termed and no official contact between CIA, MIT and KGB as well. Also we should take into account a fact, which took place in 1980th. Aldrich Ames exactly knew about this operation. Through a narrow section on the Soviet – Turkish border called “Wolf‘s Gates” weapons from Turkey to Nakhijevan enclave were being transported. Recalled by witnesses they were being transported by donkeys and the guns had a black stock. It became known later on that the type of the guns transferred was American M-16. Turkey as a NATO member mentioned this type of the gun on their active. In the end of 1980th when tension commended KGB Chief General Viktor Chebrikov dismantled a border of Nakhijevan enclave by his order and warehouses with weapons were gutted by radical criminals and used during Artsakh war against Armenian frontier troops.
At a start of his carrier Aldrich Ames worked in Turkey, as reported, targeted KGB officers and Turkish citizens who cooperated with the soviet entities. He could not see Aliyev as he didn’t see General Polyakov. But he had access to top secrets and worked out all operations by himself. More, than possible, that he knew about Aliyev, and secret operation of KGB and CIA of breaking down South Caucasus and expelling native Armenian population from Azerbaijan. He has been sitting in prison since 1994. Perhaps he mentioned about Heydar Aliyev in his confidential talks or during custodial questions. Entirely possible that people know the truth, but all fact concerned with Armenia are labeled to top secrets, so that mean that Armenia and Armenian people are important for the World Center.
Arsen Gevorgyan