Evening star., 1951-01-26
Minuet With the KremIin

A kind of Somber and slow paced diplomatic
minuet continues to be danced by the Soviet
Union on one side and by France Britain and
the United States on the other. 1t began almost
three months ago. But when 1t will end-or how
lis still anybodyS guess.
The first step in this dance was taken last
November when the Kremlin, in identical notes
voicing concern over Anglo-French-Americ de-
cisions favoring limited rearmament for West
Germany, called upon France, Britain and the
United States for special four-poWer conference
to deal with the whole German problem on the
basis of the so-called Prague proposals,
As the next movement in the dance the
three Western Powers replied on December %
with notes rejecting the Kremlin's request on the
ground that such a meeting would be waste
of time if limited to Germany and the Prague
proposals-proposals designed to create a Ger
man satellite for the Soviet Union. Rather than
slam the door, however, France, Britain and the
United States declared that they would look with
favor on the idea of Big Four conference If
the Russian-proposed agenda were broadened
ITO include equally the principal problems whose
solution would permit real and lasting i'm
provement" in East-West relations and thus
eliminate "the cause of present international
tensions throughout the world"
Then, on December 30, the Kremn re-
sponded to this response with notes whose Ian
time Hence continuing with the minuet, the
three Western Powers have now replied with
separate but identical notes asking in effect for
a clear and unequivocal statement on whether
or not the Soviet Union is willing to agree on an
agenda that will cover not merely the German
issue but other problems of equal Importance to
the peace of the world Given such agreement,
France, Britain and the United States will be
ready to send representatives to Paris to hold
In an effort to work out discussion program
broad enough to warrant meeting OF the Big
Four Foreign Minister'S.
These latest Western notes, though couched
in polite language re-emphasize to the Kremln
that France, Britain and the United States still
are as firmly opposed as they were on December
% to the idea of conferring with the Russians
on the German problem alone. The point they
again have underscored is that such confer
ence would be inadequate and unreal" because
the grave tensions affecting the world today do
not spring from that problem, but from numer-
Gus basic issues that must be dealt with as a
whole, and in a spirit of genuine good faith, if
ever there is to be an honorable and peaceful
settlement between East and West The limited
type of meeting proposed by the Soviets can end
only in futity.
What remains to be seen now is whether the
Kremlin will agree to the broad agenda advo-
Gated by the Western Powers Its reply on that
score will be the next step in the minuet. The
French-and the British to a lesser extent-are
said to be rather hopeful about accomplishing
something if the answer is favorable. But our
own State Department, having in mind the bleak
record of the Soviet Unions postwar conduct,
apparently takes dim view of what can be ex-
pected at this time.
Actually, although diplomacy may yet be
able to yield good results, pessmism seems more
reasonable right now than optimism For the