Russia May Seek Talks Now On Problems Of Europe

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27410, 24 July 1954, Page 7

Russia May Seek Talks Now On Problems Of Europe

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 9 p.m.) GENEVA, July 22. Russia may try to launch a new East-West conference on European problems before the Western Powers once more' tackle the obstacles to their European policy next month, diplomatic sources said today.

The main theme of Communist comment in Geneva on the Indo-China peace settlement reached this week has been that the agreement opens the way for the solution of other world issues, such as the fate’ of Germany. For Britain and the United States the Indo-China cease fire has opened the way to fresh attempts to put their European programme into effect.

The man who holds the key to the solution of European issues, however, is the one who opened the way to the IndoChina settlement—-Mr Pierre Mendes-France, the French Prime Minister.

He has promised his British and American allies to get a decision one way or the other from the French National Assembly about German rearmament before the end of next month.

This will coincide with the period by which the United States Secretary of State, Mr Dulles, has asked Congress to authorise him to separate the Bonn Agreement from the European Defence Treaty.

It will therefore be a critical period for Western policy and one which the Russians may seize on to try to baulk the West, the sources said. French quarters said today that at no time during the Indo-China negotiations did Mr Molotov, the Soviet Foreign Minister, try to do “a global deal” with Mr Mendes-France. The two statesmen did touch on European problems during theft* private talks, but neither did more than restate his own known position.

Mr Mendes-France repeated to Mr Molotov-and later to Mr Walter Bedell Smith, the United States Under-Sec-retary of State, the attitude he has adopted towards European problems since he assumed office a month ago. This was that he could do nothing until after the Geneva conference. The hope generated in Europe that the successful negotiation on the IndoChiria settlement will lead to a solution of other causes of East-West friction might make it difficult for European governments to carry public opinion with them in rejecting a new Soviet offer to discuss European problems at this time. This would be particularly true if Moscow offered new concessions on the German problem.