TALKS TO END

Press, Volume C, Issue 29466, 18 March 1961, Page 11

TALKS TO END

Statement Awaited LONDON, March 17. Th 6 Commonwealth leaders today will end their most fateful conference, the climax of which was South Africa’s dramatic decision to abandon her membership on May 31. The 13 delegations today are meeting to approve a final press communique on their momentous 10-day talks, which have been dominated by the conflict over South Africa’s racial segregation policies. Conference sources said the communique would cover these vital topics:— (1) South Africa’s decision to withdraw her application for continued Commonwealth membership after she becomes a republic. (2) East-West relations. (3) World disarmament and banning of nuclear weapon tests. (4) International developments, including the situations in the Congo and Laos. (5) The future structure of the United Nations. (6) Commonwealth matters, including trade and the decisions to admit Cyprus and Sierra Leone to membership. Disarmament The sources said that the delegates had reached general agreement on aims and principles of any world disarmament treaty. The disarmament problem will occupy a major part of the communique. Discussions on this key topic were reported to have been “encouraging.” The sources said that in discussing the future structure of the United Nations, there was all-round personal support for the SecretaryGeneral (Mr Hammarskjold) who has recently been under strong Soviet attack for his Congo policies. There was realisation at the conference of Mr Hammarskjold’s difficulties in that sometimes he had been in rather an unfortunate position in not having very good instructions or mandates from the Security Council or the General Assembly, the sources said. There was some agreement on the need for an international commission for Laos. The communique might survey the various items expressed on apartheid at the conference, the sources said. Top officials of the 13 delegations worked late into the night on a draft of the final communique. The Canadian Prime Minister (Mr Diefenbaker) flew back to Ottawa early today. He made no parting statement.