Evening star., 1951-09-07
Oats Case Is Slated
As Probable Topic
AtBig Conference

ADIg } 0IUIlIeEenCe
Protection of Western nationals
behind the Iron Curtain is among
Is urgent world problems slated
for discussion by the Vests Big
Three foreign ministers here next
week.
The agenda for the four-day
meeting of Secretary of State
AcheSon with British Foreign Sec
retary Morrison and French For
eign Minister Schuman, sched-
uled to begin Monday, includes
such other issues as Western Ger
many. Spain. the Italian peace
treaty, and relations with Com
munist China.
Officials disclosing the agenda
said the main aim of the confer
ence OF the foreign ministers will
be to exchange views on the spe-
cit1c problems rather than make
detailed decisions. These will be
left to subordinates to work out
later.
Oats Case Likely Topic,
The Oats case presumably will
figure in scheduled consideration
OF joint economic and POLITICAL
action to protect Western nation
ais behind the Iron Curtain, both
in Eastern Europe and Red
China. Communist Czechoslo-
vakia's imprisonment of Associ-
ated Press Correspondent William
N. Oats on what the State De-
partment has described as
''phony" spy charges has brought
this issue to the front.
Many of the problems to be dis
cussed by the foreign ministers
also will come up in a meeting of !.
the North Atlantic Council at Of
tawa September Is.
In advance of the sessions on
this side of the Atlantic, the
United States and Portugal signed
in Lisbon yesterday new agree
ment linking the Azores Islands ,
into the chain of North Atlantic i
defenSes.
Replacing a postwar arrange
ment by which the United States
Is using Lagens Field in the ,
Azores, the agreement provides =
new rights for this country to :
bases on the strategic islands.
Eventually the facilities may be
extended to other North Atlantic h
treaty members. Both the United )
States and Portugal are members !
OF the treaty organization.
Problems to Be Discussed.
The agenda for the Big Three
meeting here next week lists these ]
problems for discussion: Il
l. Progress made in containing
Russia and its satellites. {
2. Atlantic and Mediterranean
command appointments for the
North Atlantic naval forces, in
Guiding Britain's demand that at Il
least one of these jobs so to a
Briton. /,
3. Frances proposal for an in
tegrated European army and Ger
many's possible contribution to it.
These problems are to be discussed
also at the 12-nation North Allan
tic pact meeting in Ottawa.
4. Italy's request for revision of
the armament restrictions in its 6
1947 treaty. The Western powers
are generally agreed to allow Italy =
to rearm more fully.
German Peace Settlement.
5. An American-British-F French
peace settlement with Germany.
This has been drafted already but :
needs top level decisions on some
points. The settlement would in .
effect restore German sovereignty
and virtually eliminate Allied con- /.
trolls but would maintain the legal :
basis for Allied protection troops.
6. A review of attempts to write .
an Austrian peace treaty, which ,
have f1oundereda because of Rus :
sia's opposition.
T. French and British objec- 6
tionS to a United States move to
seek a military alliance with Spain
along with bases for American )
naval and air forces.
8. Concerted economic and po- G
litical action to protect the West
ern nationals behind the Iron
Curtain.
9. Admission of Greece and Tur- u
key into the North Atlantic Pact.
All three powers are now prepared
to support this, but they want
further discussion before pressing
for it at the Ottawa Atlantic Pact
conference.
Communist Plans in Korea.
10. An exchange of views on
what to expect from the Com
munists next in Korea, along with s
a discussion of future strategy if
fighting continues.
II. Prospects for granting dip i
lomatic recognition to Communist
China. Mr.. Acheson will continue
to oppose American recognition, /
but he has agreed to discuss the J
point. Mr.. Morrison suggested
the item be included in the agenda.
II France is requesting eco v
nomic and military aid for its g
forces in Indo-China and loyal /
native Allies battling Communist Ii
led guerrillas.
13. InsiStent demands from t