Senator’s Plan “Healthy”

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28824, 19 February 1959, Page 13

Senator’s Plan “Healthy”

Mr Khrushchev said there had been sober appraisals by Western leaders and mentioned a statement made recently by Senator Michael Mansfield, the Democratic deputy majority leader in the United States Senate, who last week called for talks on German reunification between East and West Germany, Senator Mansfield also said the West must ensure that a unified Germany was neither subjected to military pressure by its neighbours nor became a source of pressure to its neighbours and said the West should consider carefully plans put forward for a demilitarised zone in central Europe. “We consider that his proposals are worth considering,” Mr Khrushchev said. “It would be possible to reach agreement with people who share these soberer views.

“However, the supporters of the cold war are attacking Senator Mansfield and accuse him of making concessions to the Soviet Union.

“Nobody makes us any concessions. Senator Mansfield’s ideas are sober and healthy,” Mr Khrushchev said. Referring to the forthcoming visit of the British Prime Minister, Mr Macmillan, to the Soviet Union. Mr Khrushchev said: “We shall willingly receive the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Britain. Our people are hospitable. “And if the British are coming to us with clean hearts in order to come to an agreement and improve relations both between our countries and also between West and East, we on our side shall do everything which will foster the strengthening of peace throughout the world* Mr Khrushchev wound up his speech with references to the Soviet Union’s strained relations with Persia. “When the Government of Persia proposed to us to conclude an agreement of friendship and non-aggression. we sent our delegation,” he said. “We now know that as a result of pressure from the United States, Britain, and Turkey, the

Shah of Persia has withdrawn his proposals for the conclusion of an agreement and has decided to conclude a bilateral military agreement with the United States which will entail the transformation of Persia into an American military base.. “Moreover, the Shah announces that there allegedly exists some sort of threat to Persia from the Soviet Union. There are no grounds, for such a statement.’’ Mr Khrushchev said that the Shah of Persia was above all afraid of his own people and ; wanted to conclude a military agreement with the United States in order to bring in American troops to protect his throne.