Adenauer Agrees To Talks With Brandt

Press, Volume C, Issue 29626, 23 September 1961, Page 5

Adenauer Agrees To Talks With Brandt

<N.Z. Press Association—Copyright)

BONN September 22. Dr. Konrad Adenauer, who is struggling to form a coalition government in which he can remain as Chanceltor, has agreed to a demand by the rival Social Democratic Party for a preliminary discussion of the Berlin crisis. Socialist Party officials said.

Dr. Adenauer's Christian Democratic Party, which lost it* absolute majority in Sunday's election, on Wednesday began sounding out tie Social Democrats on a possible coalition, the Associated Press reported. The Social Democrats, with the West Berlin Mavor (Mr Willy Brandt) as their leading candidate, said they refused to enter into serious talks unlees Dr. Adenauer made a full report to party leaders on all the information he has on the Berlin crisis. The party, whose welfare programme clashes with the conservatism of Dr. Adenauer's party, have set this condition to see if things are so bad that a naiional emergency Government should be formed.

Then party ideology could be submerged to meet the crisis with a united front, the Associated Press said. Dr. Adenauer’s move comes at a moment when both his own party and the Free Democrats are agreed in principle that they want to form a two-party coalition

Government—but with one vital difference. Reuter said.

Dr. Adenauer’s party is now agreed that they want him for Chancellor again for a limited period—perhaps a year—but the FD.P. is opposed to his leadership. Formally, Dr. Adenauer has accepted the Social Democrat invitation to review the foreign situation, but the S.D.P. say they will listen to anything he has to say about the present search for a Government. By his move Dr. Adenauer seems to be countering the rather tough position adopted by the Free Democrats leader, Dr. Erich Mende. who made it clear this week that any C.DU-F.D.P. coalition should be without Dr. Adenauer.