MR NASH LIKELY TO GO TO TALKS IN LONDON IN MAY

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 29067, 2 December 1959, Page 16

MR NASH LIKELY TO GO TO TALKS IN LONDON IN MAY

(From Our Own Reporter)

WELLINGTON, Dec. 1. It is now almost certain that there will be a British Commonwealth Prime Ministers’ conference in London early next May, and that the New Zealand Prime Ministers’ conference will assume It now appears that the Prime Ministers’ conference will assume additional importance in that it will be held just before the Summit conference. It could therefore be used to brief the United Kingdom Prime Minister (Mr Macmillan) for the task of representing the British Commonwealth rather than the United Kingdom at the Summit meeting. Arrangements for a British Commonwealth Prime Ministers’ conference have been going on for some time independently of the Stimmit possibilities. The reasons are understood to be that there has not been such a conference for some time, and

that the occasion seemed ripe for talks on matters affecting the Commonwealth.

Mr Macmillan is understood to have been approached earlier to arrange, a Commonwealth Prime ministers* meeting before the Summit date. He replied that it would be desirable, but probably the time would not be opportune. The time for the Primo Ministers’ conference was fixed as probably the second week in May. In the meantime, the possibility of a Summit conference has receded. At present it is stated that a tentative date will probably be fixed when the Wester.! Summit conference is held in Paris on December 19. This will have to be approved by Mr Khrushchev, who may himself be handicapped by the fact that he is going to have discussions with General de Gaulle. General de Gaulle has declared, with Dr. Adenauer, that he is not in favour of an early Summit meeting—but this was before he was assured of a private meeting with Mr Khrushchev. There is also the factor that President Eisenhower is going to Russia “in the spring,” and that he will have had discussions with General de Gaulle by then. The date , for the Summit conference is being set unofficially as late as June. Usually a Prime Ministers’

conference is like a meeting of the regional heads of a vast trade and commercial enterprise. Anything affecting the welfare of one or more members is likely to be discussed. The May conference is likely to be sharpened by the imminence of the Summit talks, and the necessity of producing an integrated British Commonwealth point of view.