The World - News from July 20, 1986

East Germany has asked noted lawyer Wolfgang Vogel, who has negotiated numerous spy exchanges, to take charge of its negotiations with West Germany to secure the release of a suspected spy who has taken refuge in the East German mission in Bonn, Friedhelm Ost, Bonn’s chief government spokesman, said. Ost said Bonn was ready for talks “any time” to settle the diplomatic dispute over Herbert Meissner, 59, deputy chairman of the East German Academy of Sciences, who fled to the mission last Tuesday. He claimed he had escaped from West German intelligence agents who had kidnapped him and forced him to sign a statement saying he wanted to defect. Bonn denied the charge.