FOUR-POWER TALKS

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27211, 1 December 1953, Page 11

FOUR-POWER TALKS

West Acceptance “Not Doubted”

IN.Z. Press Association— Copvrt B ht) jjßec. 830 p.m.) LONDON, Nov. 29. Officials in London have no doubt that the three Western I ovvers will accept Russia’s agreement to the four-Power Foreign Ministers’ conference.

Preliminary official views on the Soviet Note of last Thursday have been exchanged among London, Washana i ans.

V i R."JTh t,OnS t ° 1 n K. th o Western re P’y wi » be opened between the Big Three at the Bermuda conference, beginning on December 4, and the answer may be drafted and sent from there.

The Soviet Note, saying “yes” to a Foreign Ministers’ meeting, after such a meeting had been suggested repeatedly in Western Notes this year, brought varying reactions in the three W estern capitals.

Although Washington found the Russian answer “disappointing while London and Paris welcomed it, it seems clear that the W estern answer will take up the Soviet invitation, diplomatic quarters say in London.

However, there may not be general Western approval for the Foreign Ministers to meet in Berlin as the Russians suggested. It _ i T s P kel Y that Britain. France, and the United States will suggest the end of January or early February for the conference. The West German Government will be consulted before the reply is sent. Official quarters in London are not optimistic that a Four-Power Foreign Ministers’ conference at this stage will make any real progress on German settlement