SETBACK FOR RUSSIA

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28766, 11 December 1958, Page 17

SETBACK FOR RUSSIA

Conference Bans Anti-West Move

(Rec. 11 p.m.) CAIRO, December 1(

Russia suffered a defeat last night at the Afro-Aslan Economic Conference. A bid by Mr Mikhail Nesterov, the chief Russian, delegate, to put forward to a sub-committee a 10-page proposal was defeated by 12 votes to four with four abstentions. the Philippines delegate, Mr Martin Tinio, told reporters. Mr Nesterov had started to attack the West in a speech in support of the Soviet motion when he was ruled out of order by the Indonesian Chairman of the Sub-committee, Mr Mohamed Soebehan, who said it could not accept any fresh reports. It would accept only reports already laid with the conference.

Mr Tinio said that among those who voted against Russia were: Iraq, India, Sudan, the United Arab Republic and Saudi Arabia. He told the press conference:

“The Soviet proposals are now dead. This conference will not consider them.

“Mr Nesterov, reviewing events in the Middle East, charged Britain and the United States with interference in the internal affairs' of the Middle East countries,” he said.

At this point the chairman made his ruling. The Russian delegate. Mr Timo said, told the sub-committee that Soviet Russia 'Wgs wiHing to offer mutual beneficial trade to all African and Asian countries and that she had already signed trade agreements with 13 nations tn the area. If a study group is set up by the conference, Mr Tinio said, the Soviet proposals may come up for consideration by the group in a year’s time.