SIX HUNDRED VISITORS

Evening Star, Issue 26042, 5 March 1947, Page 7

SIX HUNDRED VISITORS

MOSCOW PREPARES FOR CONFERENCE FOUR MAIN HOTELS BEING PUT IN ORDER (N.Z.P.A. Special Correspondent.) (Rec. 8 a.m.) LONDON, March 4. British Press correspondents cabling from Moscow state that foreign visitors attending the Moscow conference will be billetted in the main in Moscow’s four principal hotels—the 13-story Moskva, which is one of Europe’s largest, the Metropole, the National and the Savoy. A small army oi carpenters, painters and decorators is at present putting these hotels in order.

Russian idcfis of hospitality reject the American suggestion that Press correspondents who could not be otherwise accommodated should be provided with emergency quarters in Nissen huts.

The 600 delegates and pressmen who are coming to Moscow will be accommodated and fed with all the luxury the overcrowded city can provide. Nearly all of the 600 will have separate rooms with bathrooms and a considerable number will have private suites. The principal members of the visiting delegations will stay in their respective embassies.

The Foreign Ministers will meet in the Russian Foreign Office mansion, formerly the residence of one of Russia’s textile kings. Alexander Werth says the entrance hall is of garish Victorian Gothic architecture but that the white marble conference room with its cream’ and gold satin furniture is in good taste and finely proportioned. TJfitil recently one wall of the room was decorated with a large oil painting showing the signing of the 1942 Anglo-Soviet Pact by Mr Eden and M. Molotov in the presence of Mr Churchill. There is some speculation whether this picture will be hung again. Mr Bevin ana the senior members of the British delegation will stay in the British Embassy on the south side of the river within 10 minutes’ car drive of the conference building. The offices of the British delegation will be in the oldi British Embassy building, which is even closer to the Russian Foreign Office.