CONFERENCE ON ASIA

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27308, 26 March 1954, Page 8

CONFERENCE ON ASIA

PREPARATIONS FOR GENEVA TALKS

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) LONDON, March 23. Preparations for the five-Power conference on Asia next month are in full swing, although nobody yet knows who will foot the bill, says the correspondent in Geneva of the “Manchester Guardian.” The correspondent says that the United Nations will “service” the conference, but its secretariat maintains that although the meeting is in the “United Nations orbit,” it is not a United Nations one and cannot be paid for out of the secretariat’s budget. It holds the view that the convening Powers should reimburse the United Nations for its services, the cost of which is estimated at between 250,000 and 500.000 dollars, depending on the duration of the conference. “This is not the only complication, however,” says the correspondent. “Apparently the Foreign Ministers will come only for two to three weeks; the conference is then expected to adjourn for a month and be resumed at a technical level in committee. This, of course, will make the hiring of a competent staff more difficult. “A great deal of thought is being given to finding a suitable centre for the* newspaper correspondents. About 1500 journalists are expected, and it is hoped that a temporarily vacant, department store will take care of this influx, as well as of all means of communication. Size of Delegations “Accommodation is also becoming a problem. The Soviet and Chinese delegations are expected to number about 150 each, and the Western teams are not expected to, be much less in number. The 3500 hotel beds available i are already booked. [ “Security plans are also being drawn > up. There will be no lack of secret . service men of various nationalities, > dressed up as diplomats. “The initial enthusiasm and interest . is expected to pdter out after the first i sensational stories have been filed and r the Foreign Ministers have returned ; to their capitals. Yet, not to cater for » even short-lived excitement might be t fatal, and on this sensible premise f plans are being prepared.”