A-TEST BAN TALKS

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28800, 22 January 1959, Page 11

A-TEST BAN TALKS

Soviet Delegate Detects Hope

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 11.30 p.m.) GENEVA, January 21.

Britain, the United States and RUgsia are expected to continue in Geneva today a discussion on a phase of a nuclear weapons test ban agreement in which the Soviet delegate yesterday detected some hope of bringing East and West closer together. During their two-and-a-quarter-hour session yesterday the delegates concentrated mainly on “the recruiting of staff for the control organisation” which would police any agreed ban on the tests, authoritative sources said. The chief Soviet delegate, Mr Semen Tsarapkin, said he saw in some of the statements, particularly those of the. chief British delegate (Mr David OrmsbyGore) some ideas which might bring the two sides’ positions nearer, the sources reported. The British and American delegations do not think nationals of the country where a control post is located should be on its operational staff. But the Soviet Union wants the posts staffed by nationals of the host country with only one or two international controllers, the sources said.

RUSSIAN ATOM SUBMARINES “Almost Certain” To Be In Use

(Rec. 10 p.m.) SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 21.

Russia almost certainly has atomic submarines, Rear-Admiral E. W. Grenfell, the former Commander of Submarines, United States Pacific Fleet, said here yesterday.

It was also logical to assume that Russian submarines were operating close to the United States west coast, perhaps taking pictures of the new Pacific missile range, Admiral Grenfell told a press conference. The Admiral admitted that his opinions were assumptions but added: “I think the odds are 10 to one that the Russians do have nuclear subs somewhere—they just don’t have a ‘Life’ magazine to tell everyone about it.” Admiral Grenfell Arrived yesterday from the Far East on his way to Washington for a new assignment.

Soccer Field's Blanket.—Soccer clubs as far afield as Gothenburg in Sweden were inquiring today for details of the Everton Football Club’s “electric blanket” that kept their ground fit tor play in recent severe weather.— Liverpool, January 21. '