Evening star., 1953-11-28
Retreat by the KremIin

Retreat by the KremIin
Although one of its aims may have been
to head off the vote of confidence just won by
French Premier Laniel, the new Soviet note
to the Western Big Three seems to have been
written primarily as propaganda document
designed to undo what might be called the
Kremlin's Great Mistake of November 3.
That mistake took the form of note in
which the Malenkov regime replying to the
repeated Anglo ch-American proposal for
Big Four foreign ministers conference on
Germany and Austria, set forth list OF
aStoundingly arrogant precondtions as its price
for asserting to such a conference. The pre-
conditions, besides calling for prior or stimuli
taneouS meeting with Red China, included the
following demands, among others: Cd That
France, Britain and the United States stop
staging get-togetherS like the one soon to take
place in Bermuda; (2) that plans for the Euro
pean Defense Community be scrapped; 90 that
the North Atlantic Treaty Organization be
abolished; and "a that our Government extend
diplomatic recognition to the Peiping Com
munist regime and that the latter be admitted
into the United Nations.
All this, as Secretary of State Dulles said
at the time added up to demand-"couched
in language that bears little resemblance to
that normally employed as between nations
which are at peace"-that the free world render
itself defenSeleSS in order to gain the privilege
of comforting with RuSSia'S rulers. The reac-
tion everywhere on this side of the Iron Curtain
was that the men of the Kremlin, by taking
such prepoSterouS position, had abundantly
demonstrated that they alone were responsible
for blocking efforts to negotiate an abatement
of the cold war AS a result, in addition to
finding themselves on the propaganda de-
fensive, they found that their complete mega
tivism had had the effect of lessening the appeal
of "neutralsm" in Europe and of putting fresh
impetus behind the NATO build-up and the
debate in favor of organizing the EDO and it's
projected Six-nation army.
But now, as if having been sobered by the
extent and depth of this reaction to their
arrogance and intransigence, the men of the
Kremlin have sent message to the West
markedly softer in tone, and considerably less
demanding, than the one they sent on Novem-
ber 8. Indeed, if words mean anything, their
new note may be interpreted as sgnifying
that they have staged retreat of sorts, or
d1Sengaging maneuver from their past position.
At any rate, dropping the idea of an immediate
Big Five conference, including Red China they
apparently have agreed-SuggeSting Berlin as
a Site-to an Anglo-French-A American Soviet
foreign ministers meeting on Germany and
Austria. Further, although lambasting the EDO
and the proposed Six-nation European army,
they have said nothing against the NATO al
lance, and they have backed away from most
of the other preconditions set forth by them
earlier this month.
In these circumstances, President Eisen-
hover, British Prime Minister Churchill and
French Premier Laniel when they meet next
week in Bermuda, will face the problem of
trying to determine whether or not Moscows
latest note represents a sufficient modification
OF policy to make possible Big Four confer
ence on Germany and Austria. Since the note
suggests that the conference should be held on
the basis of a far-ranging agenda, including
discussion of the Soviet proposal for a meeting
with Red China, there is more than little
reason to doubt that the Kremlin is really
interested in getting down to brass tackS and
seeking solutions to the German and Austrian
questions. 1t is easier to believe that the prime
Russian concern at this stage is to give the
appearance of being reasonable while at the
same time making sure not to yield anything.
1t is clear, in any case, that the latest Soviet
note must be read with the greatest measure of
reserve. In spirit and content, it seems to
represent notable retreat from the Kremlins
position of November g. but still 1t falls far
short of being convincing evidence of desire
to negotiate in good faith. The simple and
bleak fact is that recent events do not encourage
the hope that the Malenkov regime, regardless
of its words, differs in deeds or substance from
the regime of the late Josef Stain.