Russia To "Forget U-2 Incident

Press, Volume C, Issue 29402, 3 January 1961, Page 9

Russia To "Forget U-2 Incident

(Rec. 10 p.m.) PALM BEACH, January 2. Mr Khrushchev told the President-elect, Mr John Kennedy, last night in a New Year message that he would forget the U-2 flight; and Mr Kennedy expressed the hope that American-Soviet relations would be marked by goodwill and a common desire for peace in 1961.

Mr Khrushchev, at midnight, sent Mr Kennedy a message expressing his hope that relations between the two countries would develop “on a new and reasonable basis ... of the joint desire of the peoples of our countries for peace and friendship.” Mr Kennedy today sent the Soviet leader a message saying: "Appreciate greatly your New Year greeting and express the hope that in the coming months relations between our two great countries will be marked by goodwill and a common desire for peace.” Mr Khrushchev, at a Kremlin reception in Moscow last night, made another overture toward better relations with the American Government under the new Administration by offering to forget the U-2 incident. “I recall that Mr Kennedy said during the election campaign that if he had been President he would have apologised over the U-2 flight.” Mr Khrushchev said.

“Had this been done, it would not have been necessary to raise the question in the United Nations. We will not raise the question in the United Nations in order not to taint the newly good with the recently bad.” Mr Khrushchev raised his glass and bade the whole company drink to peaceful coexistence. “I hope that the installation of the new President will bring fresh wind in United StatesSoviet relations. I hope that the going out of the old year and an old President will bring an improvment in our relations." Mr Khrushchev ‘'said. The Soviet Union, he added, attached great importance to improving relations with the United States. “An improvement in the relations between all States of the world depends largely on an improvement s in the relations between our coutatries."

The British Prime Minister, Mr Macmillan, and Mr Khrushchev also exchanged New Year greetings. Mr Khrushchev expressed the hope that 1961 would be a year of profitable co-operation between the two States, in the solution of urgent international problems, in particular the achievement of practical results in solving the problem of universal and complete disarmament. He also hoped British-Soviet relations would grow stronger "in the interests of securing a lasting peace on earth.” Mr Macmillan replied that it was his earnest wish that 1961 might bring “a return to a spirit of moderation and mutual confidence.” Without this, he added, there could be “no lasting improvement in the international situation.”

President Leonid Brezhnev, of the Soviet Union, sent a message to the Queen conveying “sincere congratulations and good wishes" to the Queen, her family, and all the British people. Mr Kennedy said at a press conference today that he was aware of Mr Khrushchev’s remarks about the U-2 only through newspaper reports and he said he would not comment. The President-elect was also non-committal about reported "feelers” to him through private channels. Mr Kennedy told reporters he had seen press reports of such Soviet overtures to him. “Probably we will let it go at that." he said. He was asked whether he saw any conflict between Mr Khrushchev’s good wishes for peace in the New Year and the current internal conflict in Laos, where Soviet planes were reported to have been supplying anti-Western forces . , Mr Kennedy, after a brief deliberation, said: “I think well just let the exchange of messages stand”