Macmillan “Hopeful” Of Summit Meeting

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29330, 8 October 1960, Page 4

Macmillan “Hopeful” Of Summit Meeting

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) LONDON, October 6. Britain’s Prime Minister (Mr Macmillan) said today h,e was “very hopeful” that the Russians would agree to a meeting for negotiation “of some of the outstanding questions which we failed to deal with in Paris last May.”

Mr Macmillan was speaking to reporters at London airport on his return from New York. He told correspondents: “We have to be quite firm. It is no good our throwing away our weapons and running around in disorder.” Mr Macmillan said the meeting of the United Nations was "one of the most extraordinary and dramatic in the life of - that organisation. “It is important that some of the attacks and innuendoes that are. made about the history of Britain, her work with her allies, and the position of the Western Powers, should be forcibly repudiated,” he 1 added. "It was helpful to be able to get down to some of the practical questions of disarmament,” the Prime Minister said. Mr Macmillan added: “I do not think Mr Khrushchev had it all his own way. He thought he would rather stampede the thing and pinch the whole show. He a little overplayed his hand.” Mr Macmillan said of Mr Khrushchev and the Congo: “At any rate, he has not destroyed the United Nations. The Secre-tary-General stood up to a very heavy attack, but the Congo problem is still in the hands of the United Nations and the Sec-retary-General, and I hope, that after all this prejiminary bluster we shall get down again to negotiations.” Mr Macmillan added: “I think in the first place with so many Heads of State and of Governfeenitji it Was right that Britain should ' be represented by her Prime Minister.” Asked if he" thought the real

issue between East and West was a struggle for the support of the uncommitted countries, Mr Macmillan replied: “I think there is something /in it” He added: "I am bound to say the Russians made a great attempt to capture that opinion. But as the meeting proceeded they seemed to have less and less support.’'.'' Expressing the hope that the Russians would agree to a fur* ther East-West meeting on: questions unresolved at the Paris summit last May, Mr Macmillan said: “We all have to wait until the American election is over.” Asked if, after his talks with Mr Khrushchev he felt more hopeful than he did after the abortive Paris Summit talks, he replied: “I do.” Asked if he thought there were hopes of a summit meeting early jn the New Year, Mr Macmillan said: ?I cannot tell. I think there will have to be a meeting tor negotiation of some of the outstanding questions which we failed to deal with in Paris last May, I hope we shall be able to organise a meeting for that purpose. I am verji hopeful. I think the Russians will agree to it.”