CONFERENCE OF BIG POWERS

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27040, 15 May 1953, Page 9

CONFERENCE OF BIG POWERS

COMMENT OF STATE

DEPARTMENT

WASHINGTON, May 13. The State Department said today that Communist agreement on the Korean truce and the Austrian, peace treaty would help pave the way towards a high-level conference. . The department's spokesman (Mr Michael McDermott) released a statement commenting on the proposal made on Monday by Sir Winston Churchill for a meeting of the Big Powers.

Mr McDermott said: “Sir Winston’s suggestion is a further manifestation of his own high purpose and of the fervent desire of all people of the free world to achieve a just and lasting peace. “Such a peace is the goal towards which we and our free world allies are devoting our constant effort so that we might help all peoples towards better standards of living. "Recently President Eisenhower stressed his willingness to do all within his power to ameliorate existing international tensions, and to meet the other side half-way when and if there is concrete evidence that such a meeting would produce positive results. "The President Indicated fa his speech on April 16 those places in Asia and Europe towards which we should look for such evidence.

“Indeed, at the present time the negotiations at Panmunjon and the pending negotiations with respect to Austria afford opportunities for the Soviet to demonstrate the sincerity of their avowals about the peaceful settlement of major International issues. Such demonstrations would help pave the way toward a high-level conference.”