Laos Talks Face Main Difficulties

Press, Volume C, Issue 29520, 23 May 1961, Page 15

Laos Talks Face Main Difficulties

(Al ZP.A -Reuter— Copyright)

GENEVA, May 22.

The 14-nation conference on Laos enters its second week today with the Foreign Ministers of Poland. Thailand, and Burma due to make their opening speeches.

Most of the Western Foreign Ministers have left before the conference begins its detailed work But the Foreign Ministers of the Communist Powers the Soviet Union. China, and Poland—are still in Geneva as well as the Head of State of Cambodia Prince Norodom Sihanouk Prince Norodom last nigh' said he had invited the three rival Laotian princes to a ■■summit" conference to settle then differences He was expecting an answer tn 48 hours

The three are the neutralist leader. Prince Souvanna Phouma. his half-brother and head of the pro-Communist Pathet Lao. Prince Souphanouavong. and the Prime Minister of the Right-wing Vientiane Government. Prince Boun Oum

Last week is generally regarded as having passed n good atmosphere, with gen-c-al agreement or the need for a declaration of neutrality by Laos and for a pledge to -esnect it by ’he other conference powers

But this week the conference faces what is expected to be the main difficulty—th extent to which the Communists are prepared to ac-

cede to the Western desire to strengthen the control machinery in Laos

All 14 Powers invited to the conference are in Geneva now, with the arrival of the Thais and the South Vietnamese late last week

There were insistent reports in Geneva that delegates of the pro-Western Boun Oum Governmen’ might soon receive new m--tructions from Vientiane directing them to take their seats at the conference table said the Associated Press A spokesman for the delegation said last night no such instructions had been received yet The Boun Oum delegation refused to sit at the meetings on the same footing as the delegates of Prmce Souvanna Phouma and the Pathet Lao. There were also indications that both the United State' and Britain intended to bring up widespread reports of violations of ’he cease-fire agreement bv Ps’het Lao forces Disnatche' from .Vientiane charged the Pathet Lao with carrying out fu'l-scale military operations in northern Laos against Meo tribesmen supporting the Boun Oum Government. •