U.S. AFFIRMS POLICY OF STRENGTH

Press, Volume C, Issue 29680, 25 November 1961, Page 11

U.S. AFFIRMS POLICY OF STRENGTH

More Arms Planned For Germany (N .ZP.A.-Reuter—Copyright) NEW YORK, November 24. The United States had reaffinned its policy that negotiations with the Soviet Union can only be conducted from “a position of strength,” according to the “New York Times.” Qualified sources reported this decision yesterday after the three days of discussion between President Kennedy and the West German Chancellor, Dr. Konrad Adenauer. The sources said the United States would also support an increased and reinvigorated military build-up of the Atlantic Alliance, the newspaper said in a Washington dispatch.

The West German Defence Minister, Dr. Franz Joseph Strauss, who remained in Washington after Dr. Adenauer s departure, is to discuss further arms deliveries to West Germany with United States officials.’ The newspaper said the Kennedy Administration, mindful of Soviet attacks upon the “positions of

strength” concept, had sought to moderate it early this year. But in view of later Soviet rebuffs of overtures relating to nuclear weapons and the Berlin crisis. President Kennedy had reportedly come to the conclusion that a reaffirmation of Western military power was mandatory. The vanguard of the new Atlantic Pact reinforcement effort would be in Germany. Dr. Adenauer had outlined to President Kennedy his plans for boosting Germany’s strength, the dispatch said. The newspaper’s chief Washington correspondent, James Reston, in a commentary on the KennedyAdenauer talks, said it was apparent that Dr. Adenauer had received the assurances

that he had wanted. There would be no recognition of East Germany, "contacts” between East and West Germany would be only at a private level, there would be no withdrawal of Western farces in Germany, and the ties between West Berlin and West Germany were to be strengthened. In addition, the West’s rights in Berlin were not to be subject to negotiations with the Soviet Union. Dr. Adenauer had, however, agreed to consider a new legal statute for Berlin, provided that the West’s rights in Germany were maintained. “In short, he agreed with President Kennedy that it was wise to show a willing-

ness to negotiate with the Russians on Berlin but nobody produced any new basis for negotiations,” Reston said.

De Gaulle For London President de Gaulle is to fly to London today for the latest in a series of meetings of Western leaders that may pave the way for an EastWest conference on Berlin. He will spend the week-end conferring with the British Prime Minister, Mr Macmillan. French officials expect two main subjects to be discussed by Mr Macmillan and President de Gaulle —the Berlin crisis and Britain’s application for membership of the European Common Market. Throughout the Berlin crisis, Mr Macmillan has favoured negotiations with the Russians, whereas President de Gaulle has put his foot down firmly against any talks under threats or duress. Mr Macmillan is expected to urge the French President to take a less rigid stand, but French officials see little likelihood that President de Gaulle will agree to do so. They said there is little prospect that he will agree to attend East-West talks as long as the Russians continue harrassing the West in Berlin. The talks on the Common Market are expected to be of a general nature, since experts of Britain and the Six. now meeting in Brussels, have only just begun to study the problems involved.