KEKKONEN IN RUSSIA Defence Talks May Be Postponed

Press, Volume C, Issue 29681, 27 November 1961, Page 15

KEKKONEN IN RUSSIA Defence Talks May Be Postponed

(N JZ J*. A. “Reuter—Copyright) MOSCOW, November 25. Russia “considers it possible" to postpone joint militaryconsultations with Finland on an alleged threat of war in the Baltic, an official communique said today. President Kekkonen of Finland yesterday pleaded for a postponement in talks at Novosibirsk, Siberia, with the Soviet Prime Minister (Mr Khrushchev). The communique released this morning, said President Kekkonen believed Russian-Finnish military consultations dangerous.

The communique said that President Kekkonen had stated to Mr Khrushchev that military consultations “would cause a certain amount of tension and war psychosis in the Scandinavian countries.”

Russia sought military discussions in a Note to Finland on October 30. This alleged that a threat of war against Russia from West Germany and her allies existed in the Baltic area. Confidence Expressed

The communique said Mr Khrushchev had expressed confidence in President Kekkonen's ability to continue the present Finnish policy of friendship towards Russia.

■The Soviet Government believes it can postpone the military consultations which the Soviet Government had suggested,” the communique added. It also said Mr Khrushchev had stated that Russia and Finland should continue to .watch developments in the Baltic and Northern Europe. He had expressed the hope that Finland would, if necessary, submit to Russia ideas on “necessary measures” to protect their mutual borders. The communique said Mr Khrushchev had presented to President Kekkonen the point of view which compelled Russia to send the Note to Finland on October 30. He had emphasised that this step was dictated by a desire to protect the Russian frontier. The communique said Mr Khrushchev had “noted that the present tense international situation was compelling the Soviet Union to make use of all means and opportunities at its disposal to safeguard its security and undertake the necessary measures to prepare, in particular, for the repulsion of a possible attack by the German militarists from the Baltic Sea and through the territory or aar space of Finland.” “President Kekkonen agreed that the arguments submitted with regard to the possibility of the beginning of a war in Europe were very considerable,” the communique said. But he also believed joint talks might cause tension in Scandinavia. He therefore proposed that Russia should not insist on the consultations ‘‘and expressed the view that such a solution of the question would help to calm public opinion throughout Scandinavia.”

In a luncheon speech yesterday, Mr Khrushchev said Russia suspected that right-

wing elements in Finland wanted a military alliance with West Germany.

While Russia did not want to interfere in Finland's home affairs, “We would be bad statesmen if we did not follow carefully the development of the political situation in countries along our frontiers," he said. Russia was "seriously concerned over the activities of right-wing groups (Tannerites) in Finland who have as their aim the undermining of friendship with the Soviet Union and sabotage of the Paasikivi-Kikkonen Line” (Mr Paasikivi is a farmer President of Finland). “We ask if these circles are not trying to prepare conditions for the restoration of 'brotherhood in arms' with West German revenge seekers and militarists. This cannot be disregarded in the present international situation." Earlier Mr Khrushchev had referred to the Soviet Note to Finland proposing joint measures towards strengthening their frontier, and explained: “With things as they are today, the Soviet Union, to its great regret can no longer regard the north of Europe as an area of peace

and tranquility it has been until now.”

He warned Denmark and Norway that they were undermining their own security by "yielding to pressure and demands on the part of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, and especially the military circles of the German Federal Republic,” said Reuter.

If ’ they continued they would "contribute to an aggravation of the situation in the North of Europe and the Baltic area, complicate the position of their neutral neighbours and bring the threat on the part of German militarists and revanchists closer to the shores of Finland and the Soviet Union."