GENEVA TALKS

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29767, 9 March 1962, Page 13

GENEVA TALKS

U.K. Reply To Soviet

(N 2J*.A.-ReuteT —Copyright) LONDON, March 8.

Mr Macmillan has told Mr Khrushchev he is ready to go to the Geneva disarmament talks “at any stage when it appears such action can be of positive value.” He said he had asked his Foreign Secretary, Lord Home, to be ready to meet the Soviet Foreign Minister. Mr Gromyko, and the United States Secretary of State, Mr Rusk, in Geneva on March 12.

The British Note replies to Mr Khrushchev’s letter of March 3 agreeing that next week’s Geneva conference should open at Foreign Minister level.

Mr Macmillan's Note said: "Dear Mr Chairman: Many thanks for your message of March 3. I am very glad to learn that although you do not entirely share my view, you have agreed to the proposal put forward by President Kennedy and myself for a meeting of our three Foreign Ministers a few days in advance of the 18-Power conference on disarmament

“I have accordingly asked Lord Home to be ready to meet Mr Gromyko and Mr Rusk In Geneva on March 12. "As for what you say about the personal participation by Heads of Government in the work of the 18-Power committee, I repeat what I have said before —that I am ready to go to Geneva at any stage when it appears that such action can be of positive value.”