The Press MONDAY, MARCH 5, 1951. Big Four Meeting

Press, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 26362, 5 March 1951, Page 6

The Press MONDAY, MARCH 5, 1951. Big Four Meeting

The meeting of their deputies in Paris to-day brings nearer the diplomatic prospect of a conference of the Foreign Ministers of Britain, the United States, Russia and France. Last November, Russia proposed a Foreign Ministers’ conference—the first since a succession of Foreign Ministers’ conferences ended in 1949—but wanted the business of the conference confined to what Russia termed the rearmament of Western Germany. The Western Powers refused to assist Russia to stage an occasion for hauling them over the coals about the German rearmament issue and insisted that if anything was to be gained from another Four-Power conference its business must include discussions on all problems causing present world-wide tensions. A series of Notes followed—there were eight in all—in which Russia on the one side and the Western Powers on the other set out their cases, grievances, and no small amount, of forceful recrimination. However, in lhe course of the exchanges Russia appeared to consent, guardedly, to let the issues at a conference be widened. Russia’s final meaning was, and still is, obscure. But rather than engage in further argument, the Western Powers proposed that the Foreign Ministers’ deputies meet to work out a programme, for a meeting of the Foreign Ministers. The deputies will begin their deliberations in Paris to-day. Russia is committed to nothing more than discussing an. agenda, and prospects of a full conference may end at the preliminary—deputies—stage if the

test proves Russia to be merely seeking a meeting which it can use for propaganda purposes. Few can be so optimistic as to think that a meeting of the Foreign Ministers—if it comes about—will cause any miraculous or dramatic change in the whole situation. It may prove to be a manoeuvre to weaken the West’s position of growing strength by trying to create doubts and divergences among nations in the Western partnership. It is possible that the whole thing is aimed at

strengthening the Russian Government’s position at home and with its satellite peoples. However, despite the unpromising material contained in the Russian Notes and Mr Stalin’s “ Pravda ” interview, the Russians have gone far enough to encourage some slight hopes that they really want a meeting of Foreign Ministers at which issues causing present world tension may be discussed. There are suggestions that Russia may be going to make formidable dealing with the unification of Germany. At the least, the conference—ahd. this includes its preliminary—will be another op-, portunity to test Russia’s intentions;’ This test file West Will bd willing and anxious to make, more particularly because the position of the West has changed substantially since the last Foreign Ministers’ conference. The Western nations have always been keen to pursue any chance of finding accommodation and®eace with Russia. This they are better able to do now than at any tim£’ since the war, because their policy*-into which Russia’s actions forced them—of building strength to balance force with force, and to make peace by firm diplomacy backed with strength, may be assumed to have strengthened respect for the West in the eyes of men who have few illusions about the realities of power.