Evening star., 1949-01-13
Britain, France Open
Par|eys on Unifying
Europe Against Reds
By The Asseeioted Press

LONDON. Jan. 13-Britain and
France began q conference today
on how to achieve Western Euro-
pean Unity for stand against
Communism.
British Foreign Secretary Bevin
met with French Foreign Minister
Robert Schunnan 80 minutes after
the latter arrived from Paris. Top
aides Of both were present.
The North Atlantic alliance pro-
posal undoubtedly Is under discus
sion in this conference, which will
last three days. In the background
Is Sweden's apparent reluctance to
enter into a pact with the Western
powers and desert her traditional
position Of neutrality in big power
squabbles.
Swedish Offer Reported.
Sweden is reported to have Of
/, fered Scandinavian alliance to
J. Norway and Denmark as an alter
native to links with the Western
European union.
Denmark, perched on the crest
of Europe's heartland between the
East and West, is most likely to
= choose the full military alliance with
, her Scandinavian neighbors. a
Danish Foreign ONCE spokesman
said yesterday.
Norway is under heavy Soviet
pressure to avoid involving herself
in military commitments with the
West. Only yesterday the Literary
Gazette. Moscow's journalistic lash.
gave Norway another thinly yelled
warning on the subject of the North
Atlantic alliance It said the Soviet
public could not overlook the at
titude of Norwegian Foreign Min
lister Halvard Lange and others in
Norway who strove ito advance the
Atlantic war bloc to the northern
boundaries of the Soviet Union"
The differences between Britain
and France on the North Atlantic
pact center chiefly on the question
of which nations should be invited
to join.
Sound Nucleus Favored.
At the outset Mr.. Bevin had ad-
vocated developing a sound nucleus
of nations for the pact. without
broadening the base by inviting
other nations. The nations now
participating in the negotiations are
the United States, Canada. Britain,
France, Belgium, the Netherlands
and Luxembourg.
The two foreign ministers also are
expected to take up the various diff
ferences over Germsny's future, the
status Of the state of Israel: CO.
ordination of colonial policies. and
aspects of political unity in West
ern Europe.
On the question of Israel. France
may urge joint action in following
the United States lead by recognis-
ing the new nation. Mr.. Bevin,
however, is likely to call for post
ponement Of any decision on this
until the conclusion of the Israeli
Egyptian peace talks at Rhodes, par
ticularly in view of current British
Israeli tension.
In connection with the Seandi-
navian negotiations the Swedish
government announced it has called
its Ambassadors home from Wash
ington, London. Paris and Moscow
for talks, the reason for this was not
disclosed.
The Norwegian Ambassadors in
washington, Moscow and London
and the Danish Ambassadors in
those three capitals and Paris we're
also called home. Apparently they
will discuss Scandinavian defense
problems with their home govern
nlents.
Sweden is by war the strongest
Of the three Scandinavian countries
with an air force ranking third in
strength to those Of Russia and
Britain in Europe Norway and
Denmark spend only a tenth as
much as Sweden for defense pur-
poses. a.