Brandt Ready For New Talks

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32302, 21 May 1970, Page 11

Brandt Ready For New Talks

(N.Z P A Reuter—Copyright)

BONN, May 20.

The West German Chancellor (Mr Willy Brandt) today put final touches to West German proposals for the second all-German summit meeting, which is due to open in Kassel tomorrow.

] Mr Brandt’s meeting with i the East German Prime Miniister (Mr Willi Stoph), the : second in two months, comes at a time when he finds himself under an unrelenting verbal onslaught from East Berlin. In Kassel itself tonight, Mr Adolf Von Thadden’s extreme 'Right Wing National Democrats are planning a protest : rally. i A large force of police, backed by riot police, have been ordered on duty in Kassel to ensure that demonstra-[ tors do not disrupt the talks.] 1 Thousands of East German [refugees are also planning a inarch of silence to protest against any sell-out to the Communists. It is timed to begin as the summit meeting starts. West Germany's Communist ’ Party intends to hold a rally

to demand international recognition for East Germany. Mr Brandt, whose Social Democrats face an election! battle in three states next month, is particularly anxious; to keep the promise of a constructive East-West German dialogue alive. Angered by West Germany’s success last week in having the East German application for membership of the World Health Organisation shelved for a year, East Germany has alleged that Bonn’s tactics make a mockery of its claim that it wants relations as between equal partners with East Berlin. Mr Brandt’s energies will he directed to persuading Mr Stoph to accept an arrangement short of the full diplomatic recognition East Berlin insists is the prerequisite for any fruitful relationship between the two states.

In reply to the draft treaty setting up normal diplomatic ties which the East Germans submitted last December, the Chancellor will table what a spokesman has described as “elements of a treaty.”

Beyond the aim of creating a neighbourly and equal relationship and easing the hardship of German division, Bonn has disclosed little of

i substance about the West Ger- . man proposals. Mr Brandt, howiver. is ! known to want mixed com--5 missions established to tackle - specific problems in detail . and report back to a possible .’third summit meeting. i There has been wide-spread r speculation that the Chancelsi lor would be prepared to see Jthe two German states join I [the United Nations, and to promote establishment of commonwealth-style high coms' missions in the respective '-capitals. J The Government has played !down the idea of East and II West German reconciliation. , The whole Brandt strategy I [is to accept increased interna- , tional status for East Ger- ! many only in return for progress in such matters as greater freedom for Germans on both sides of the frontier to visit each other.