TALKS MAY BE LONG

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29237, 22 June 1960, Page 15

TALKS MAY BE LONG

“Peace Not Imminent”

(Rec. 11.30 p.m.) PARIS, June 21. French newspapers today warned that it would be a mistake to believe that peace is imminent after nearly six years of war in Algeria. “Combat,” which headlined its story, “The negotiation promises to be long and difficult,” said: “At the start, the negotiators will not speak the same language. The F.L.N. (Algerian insurgent movement) calls independence what we call secession.” “Le Parisien Libre” said: “It would be rash to indulge in impatience or to believe that everything is already over.” “A close game is starting,” said “Le Figaro.” “But even if the negotiations were to fail, the fact would remain that the new attitude of the F.L.N. has strongly changed' the situation.” “L’Aurore” said the negotiations could only have one aim: to end the fight. “Algeria’s future depends not on the F.L.N. or ourselves, but on the Algerian universal suffrage.” The pro-Communist “Liberation” said too many illusions should not be cherished about the outcome of the meeting between President de Gaulle and Mr Abbas. The positions were still far apart. British newspapers, although anxious that some solution should be found, did not underestimate the difficulties in the way of definite progress and, in the main, were only cautiously hopeful about the possible results of this new development. “The Times” was convinced that an end to the fighting in Algeria would transform the international situation. The “Guardian” said that both sides had acted in a statesmanlike manner. “The rebel leaders can’ reflect that President de Gaulle has gone a great deal further than any other French Government would dare to go.” the newspaper said. The “Daily Telegraph" said: “New hope certainly seems to have opened for Algeria. This move will be as welcome in Morocco and in Tunisia as to the majority of Frenchmen and to the West as a whole.”