‘Difficulties’ in Peking

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33033, 28 September 1972, Page 17

‘Difficulties’ in Peking

(N.Z. Press Association— Copyright)

PEKING, September 27. Japanese journalists close to the delegation of the Japanese Prime Minister (Mr Kakuei Tanaka) said today that unexpected difficulties of an undisclosed nature had cropped up in drafting a communique on normalisation of Chinese-Japanese relations.

The report could not be confirmed, since both Mr Tanaka and the Chinese Prime Minister (Chou En-lai) have agreed not to disclose anything of a substantive nature about their historic summit talks until they are concluded.

A communique is expected to be issued on Friday. Some Japanese reporters, however, receive exclusive daily briefings from the Chief Cabinet Secretary (Mr Susumu Nikaido) as members of the tightly-knit Prime Minister’s press club. They often obtain information of a confidential nature

through this connection. The hint of rough going is the first to mar the buoyant mood of the summit meeting so far.

Mr Tanaka and Chou have all but pledged themselves to exchange diplomatic recognition, work out a peace treaty, and trade in commercial pacts. Both indicated at a firstday banquet that agreement seemed certain with only minor issues, which could be ignored, standing in the way. Coincidentally. Peking’s brilliantly warm autumn in the last two days suddenly turned grey and cool today, the sun struggling to come through. A Japanese spokesman on Tuesday described the second summit session as having been carried out “energetically and seriously.” When asked whether that wording meant there had been a change in the cordial atmosphere of the first meeting, the spokesman said it did not. One of the major issues in the talks is that of Japan’s post-recognition relationship with Taiwan.

Though willing to break relations with the Nationalistheld island, the Japanese wish to continue their SUSIOOO million-a-year trade with it.