Evening star., 1951-01-25
q '''THE EVENING STAR, Washington, D. c.
u. ). 10 Consult Allies
In Advance Of Talks
Proposed 10 Russia
By Gornett D. Homer

The United States plans early
talks with Great Britain and
France to try to form a united
front on specific issues to be taken
up If Russia agrees to a Big -Four
conference aimed at easing world
tensions.
Standing firm against limiting
any such conference to a discus
sion Of German problems as Rus I
sia as proposed, the three Western
powers insisted anew in notes to
Moscow made public last night
that all problems likely to threat
en- world peace should be dis
cussed.
Secretary of State Acheson said
this Government has its own ideas
Of what the projected conference
should cover, but he would not list
them pending preliminary talks
with the British and French,
Pleven Coming Here Monday.
Officials said such talks with
the British and French will be
started even before it is known
whether Russia will agree to an
acceptable basis for a Big -Four
meeting. They are expected to
begin when French Premier Rene
Pleven comes here Monday for a
two-day visit with President Tru-
man.
Politely worded in difference to
French and British hopes that
Big Four meeting can be arranged
despite American doubts that it
would be worthwhile. the new
notes to Moscow said the Western
government would be glad to
know" whether the Soviet agrees
to broad field of discussion.
Russia was informed that if she
does agree. the American, British
and French governments are ready
to set a date for an exploratory
meeting with Soviet representa-
tives in Paris to work out a suit
able program for meeting of the
Big Four Foreign Ministers.
Would Cover Wide Field.
Essentially, the Western notes
that were delivered in Moscow
Tuesday asked clarification of So
Wet proposals for a conference. In
November Russia asked for a Big
Four meeting to draft a declara-
tion against the remilitarization Cf
Germany The Western powers re-
piled on December %. rejecting
any meeting confined only to this
subject, but suggesting such con-
ference should cover all the "prin-
cipal problems whose solution
would permit a real and lasting
improvement" in East-West rela-
tions.
Russia's answer on December 80
was not clear as to whether she
was willing to open up the field
of discussion as insisted on by
the Western powers. The Soviet
note insisted German demilitariza-
tion Is the most important" prob
lem, but agreed ito the discussion
also of other questions regarding |
Germany"
The new Western notes en-
phasized that present East-West
tension "dees not arise from the
German problem" and said fatty
that a conference limited to this
would be inadequate and unreal"
But they asked for Qualification
Of Russia's position Ito avoid any
misunderstanding"
It took nearly month to work
out the identical notes by the
American, British and French
governments in the face of di-
vergent views about the usefulness
of any negotiations with Moscow
now. American officials do not
believe the Soviet is willing to
make any agreements now that
would be acceptable to the West.
The French, and to a lesser degree
the British, are more hopeful
about the results of a conference.
In a radio interview in Paris
last night. French Defense Min
lister Jules Moch said France is
determined to bring about a Big
Four meeting come what may"
He urged increased armed
strength to back up Western dip
lomats. declaring that "the
chances for success of this con-
ference will exactly depend on the
extent to which European nations,
rather than make themselves an
easy prey, are determined to de-
fend themselves and ready to
do So"