“COUP” BY SPAIN

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28984, 27 August 1959, Page 13

“COUP” BY SPAIN

‘Gatecrashing’ Of Talks

(Rec. 11 p.m.) LONDON, Aug. 26. General Franco’s Foreign Minister, the Falangist leader, Fernando Maria Castiella, will "gatecrash” President Eisenhower’s visit to London, according to the “News Chronicle” today. He had a date with the President at the week-end that had all the marks of a clever diplomatic coup by the Spaniards, said the newspaper’s special correspondent.

General Franco’s emissary had been able to wedge himself into President Eisenhower’s tight timetable, while representatives of countries who were allied in war with the United States and who were now in the Atlantic Alliance, had been turned down for lack of time, he said. Moreover, there was no pressing problem in United States-Spanish relations that needed to be taken to such a top level for solution.

With President Eisenhower at Monday’s meeting will be his Secretary of State. Mr Christian Herter, and the United States Ambassador to Madrid, Mr John Davis Lodge. The Spanish Ambassador in Washington, Mr Jose Maria de Areilza, Conde de Motrico, will accompany Mr Castiella.

The correspondent said Spain’s gatecrashing at the London party was all the more impressive since Mr Castiella was rejected by the British Government in 1951 when General Franco appointed him Ambassador to the Court of St. James. The British rejected him because of his pro-Nazi background during the war, he said.

Request Declined.— The Norwegian Supreme Court’s Chief Justice (Mr Terje Wold) has refused an offer from the Dalai Lama to become his adviser for six months. The Chief Justice said he had to reject the offer because his position precludes him from "accepting other assignments.”—Oslo, August 25.