BRITISH VIEW ON GENEVA

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28921, 15 June 1959, Page 11

BRITISH VIEW ON GENEVA

Difference With Allies Possible

(N.Z. Press Association —Copyright) (Rec. 9.20 p.m.) GENEVA, June 14. A possible difference between Britain and her Western Allies over the future of the East-West Foreign Ministers’ talks and a later summit meeting was the subject of speculation in Geneva today. Britain’s attitude towards the future of the present five-week-old East-West conference is expected to hinge on talks in London between the British Prime Minister (Mr Macmillan) and the Foreign Secretary (Mr Selwyn Lloyd). Mr Lloyd flew to London for week-end consultations with Mr Macmillan and returns to the conference tomorrow morning. British leaders are known to believe that a summit meeting is likely, irrespective of whether the present talks are a success or failure—but they would like some progress to be made in Geneva first.

The impression in Geneva is that the British delegation would prefer to “sit it out” for a week or two longer in the hope that earlier private negotiations could be resumed and bring some progress.

But, according to United States and French sources, these two countries would favour a recess of the present conference, which they consider to have been fruitless so far in the second half of this week.

They regard the prospects of progress as extremely dim after last week’s Soviet proposals calling for a one-year limit to Western occupation rights in West Berlin.

Only two of the Big Four Foreign Ministers remained in Geneva for what may prove to be the last week-end of the deadlocked East-West conference.

They are Mr Christian Herter, of the United States, and Mr Andrei Gromyko, of the Soviet Union. Mr Maurice Couve de Murville of France is spending the weekend in Paris consulting his Government and Mr Lloyd is in London.

After the Western Ministers’ rejection of Mr Gromyko’s “bombshell” proposals on Berlin, there came mounting reports that the West would seek an adjournment of the fruitless talks in the latter half of next week. Western sources predicted the West would seek an adjournment without agreeing with Mr Gromyko on a summit conference later this summer.

West to Meet Gromyko However, the Western Ministers agreed to hold a private session with Mr Gromyko on Monday afternoon after the Soviet Foreign Minister had formally declared yesterday that his Berlin plan was not intended as an ultimatum or a threat. According to an American

spokesman, Mr Herter has no plans to see Mr Gromyko today or tomorrow, although there w»i speculation that the Soviet Foreign Minister might ask for a meeting with the Secretary of State.

Diplomatic observers said Mr Gromyko might consult Moscow over the week-end about the West’s rejection of the Soviet plan for Berlin. He was also expected to visit the Soviet Embassy in Berne.

Observers in London said the Western Powers remained faced with the need to find a new basis between East and West for discussion on Berlin if the conference were to continue to handle this problem.

A serious aspect of the new crisis for Western statesmen is seen in London as the diminution of the prospects of holding a summit conference. Mr Macmillan is believed to favour holding a series of summit conferences with Russia whatever the outcome of the Geneva conference.

The United States and French Governments are unwilling to have summit talks if the Foreign Ministers’ conference breaks down.

Consequently, as things are at present, a breakdown at Geneva would mean no summit meeting. There is, however, the hypothetical possibility that the end of the Geneva talks would heighten pressure on the United States and French Governments to revise their view. One unknown factor for the Western Powers is the point at which Russia would withdraw from its occupation status in West Berlin and sign a peace treaty with East Germany if the Foreign Ministers’ conference breaks up. Observers in London pointed out that Mr Gromyko's assurance that the latest Russian proposals did not constitute an ultimatum appeared to shed no light on this practical question.