Nehru’s Views On Changes In Russia

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28322, 6 July 1957, Page 11

Nehru’s Views On Changes In Russia

(Special Correspondent N.Z.P.A.) (Rec. 10 p.m.) LONDON, July 4.

The Indian Prime Minister (Mr Nehru) told a press conference in London today that he thought the latest changes in Russia were an indication of a process that had been going on for some time.

Every country that had gone through a major revolution gradually went back to what might be called normalcy, he said. It had taken a rather longer period for Russia to return to what might be called relative normalcy, due perhaps to the effects of two world wars.

He also felt the changes were a reflection of what was happening in the Soviet, where people who were used to and accepted the regime had a very strong desire for peace and normalcy. They had lived at a high pitch and wanted to settle down and live quiet lives.

They also had a desire for greater individual freedom and more freedom to criticise each other.

Mr Nehru suggested that there were great similarities between the Russian and American peoples. Both were friendly and hospitable, somewhat emotional, and repaid actions in kind. Both were highly technically minded. He

also said the Russians were tremendous readers.

Hungary had been very brave, but it had gone too far and had frightened the Russians in its October revolution, Mr Nehru said.

He said this was from the Soviet point of view, as Russia could see that Hungary might bring a hostile frontier nearer. “When you touch a country on that soft spot its own security, then self-interest is the highest motive,” Mr Nehru added. He thought it feasible that events in Suez, which coincided with those in Hungary, had some effect on the Russians, who might have thought Suez was the opening phase of a full-scale war and therefore reacted to safeguard their own security. But he added: “I cannot explain Hungary.” No Commonwealth Policy

Referring to the Commonwealth talks, Mr Nehru said that each government nad its own policy, and there was no particular Commonwealth policy on particular topics.

“You must not misunderstand the purpose of these conferences,” he said. “You are mistaken if you think we are meeting to declare some great adventures of policy.”

In the main, the meetings were meant to help each Commonwealth country understand the problems and points of view of the others, and from his point of view the present conference had served a useful purpose, Mr Nehru said. He did not think that some permanent form of Commonwealth Secretariat was desirable. All the Commonwealth countries were already constantly in contact.

Mr Nehru also said that personally he would welcome a suggestion that the Prime Ministers should next meet at Ottawa. As far as can be gathered no specific proposals for closed Commonwealth economic ‘-co-ordina-tion or for meeting the shortage of capital for Commonwealth development will emerge from the conference.

The only firm point which seems to have developed on the economic side of the conference is that the Canadian Prime Minister (Mr John Diefenbaker) has issued an open invitation to the Commonwealth Finance Ministers to confer -at Ottawa after the meeting of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund in the United States.

However, the British Prime Minister (Mr Macmillan) is very hopeful of a satisfactory conclusion on the Canadian proposal for a Commonwealth trade conference. Mr Macmillan told the House of Commons this in reply to a question today. J*