"Adenauer Will Return From U.K. Reassured”

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 29057, 20 November 1959, Page 15

" Adenauer Will Return From U.K. Reassured”

(N.Z. Press Association— Copyright) (Rec. 11 p.m.) LONDON, November 19. The West German Chancellor (Dr. Adenauer) will fly back to Bonn this afternoon a happier man than when he arrived in London a few days ago, according to the “News Chronicle” today; “The spectre of disengagement (of British troops in Central Europe) which has haunted the Chancellor ever since the visit of the British Prime Minister (Mr Macmillan) to Moscow, has now well and truly been laid,” it said.

All that Britain had committed herself to was the proposal for global disarmament and measures against surprise attack in unspecified regions of the world, the newspaper said. “In return for this comforting assurance Dr. Adenauer has told his London hosts that he shares their desire for an early summit,” the newspaper said. The Chancellor’s visit was again widely reported and commented upon in today’s British newspapers, although, generally, it was not given the same pror inence as yesterday. The “Daily Telegraph’s” diplomatic correspondent summed up press reaction by saying: “Dr Adenauer’s visit to Britain continued its progress yesterday in a steady blaze of officiallyinspired optimism. In fact, nothing particularly worthy of comment has so far happened in the talks he has been having.” Today Dr. Adenauer will end his talks with Mr Macmillan at Chequers, the Prime Minister’s country home in Buckinghamshire.

They will be joined this morning by their Foreign secretaries, Mr von Brentano and Mr Lloyd. The Chancellor will give a press conference and an hour later will leave for Gatwick Airport in Surrey. Tentative Summit Date

Officials in Washington reported yesterday that the Western Powers had reached tentative agreement to propose to the Soviet Union that the East-West summit meeting be held in Geneva in late April, according to United Press International. The tentative agreement, they said, was reached by British, French, United States and West German representatives at a

State Department meeting late yesterday. It had been referred to London, Paris, and Bonn for approval by the home Governments.

Reuter reported, however, that consultations were continuing among the Western powers as to the date of summit meeting, and no decision had been reached.

One official said that a meeting in Geneva in late April could not be completely ruled out. The United States State Department spokesman (Mr Lincoln White) when asked about a report that the Western powers were near agreement on a meeting with the Soviet Union in Geneva in late April, said: “No agreement has been reached on when an East-Wdst summit meeting will be held. “This is a matter which, has to be decided by the Governments concerned and it has not been decided," he said. United Press International said President Eisenhower was known to favour the late April date, and British sources said this date also was acceptable to the British Prime Minister (Mr Macmillan). The only question mark remaining was whether the French President (General de Gaulle) would give his final and formal approval to that date.

United States officials said they hoped for quick approval by General de Gaulle so a formal Western proposal could be sent to the Soviet Premier (Mr Khrushchev) in time to get word back from the Russians before December 19. That is the date when the Western powers will hold their own summit conference in Paria to co-ordinate their positions on critical issues in preparation for the meeting with the Soviet Union.