Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-05-04
by FRED THEROUX
star star Writer

ny FhED AnEhONA
star stan Writer
The visit Of Soviet First Deputy
Premier AnaStas Mikoyan TO Bonn
last week was more than a trade
mission. AS evaluated by Western
diplomats. particularly the Brit
ish. the Moscow choice OF the man
believed 10 be Premier Nikita
Khrushchev's closest assistant 10
go to Bonn was an index 10 the
seriousness with which the Krem-
lin views relations with West Ger
many.
Just prior TO the Mikoyan trip,
there we're two developments be-
lieved not unrelated 10 the coy
cordially that marked his recep-
ton by West German officials.
The first was a visit by Chancellor
Konrad Adenauer to London.
where he talked at length with
Prime Minister Harold Macmillan
and Foreign Secretary Selwyn
lloyd. The second was a declara-
ton by the Politburo of the East
German republics Socialist Unity
(Communist) party that reunifl-
cation of Germany was possible
only by negotiations between the
two German states toward estab-
lishment Of 2 German Confedera-
ton as the first step toward the
Specialization of all Germany.
Chonee in Mood
The Adenauer talks in London
sent the Chancellor back to Bonn
in an expansive mood. Gone, for
the time being at least. was Der
Alte's" rigidly hostile attitude to-
ward the Russians. Something was
in the wind, it seemed. and the
conviction in Western Europe that
Mr.. Adenauer was a powerful fac
tor in the preparations for a sum-
NIT meeting was strengthened.
The East German pronounce
ment on reunification was sig
nif1cant chiefly because it openly
proclaimed the Communist in
tention that a reunited Germany
would be a Communist Germany.
In addition, the Berlin statement
was~believed to be a prod to the
Soviet Union. an "in advance"
position that the question of Ger
many must not be included in the
agenda for summit meeting. Al
though this is the announced po-
sition of Moscow, Western diplo-
mats have chung to hopes that
the Russians might bargain.
In the course of his visit to
West Germany. Mr.. Mikoyan
signed agreements normalizing
trade between West Germany and
the Communist bloc. But he dis
cussed other matters of a politi-
cal nature with Bonn officials.
The combination of the Mikoyan
talks and the East German state
ment lent substance to reports
that Moscow was determined to
press its project for some sort of
naturalization" of central Eu-
rope. But so far there are no
signs that Mr.. Adenauer has
changed his firm opposition to
such project.
A Key Position
The German Federal Republic
today occupies a key position in
world politics. Despite the fact
that the Bonn government in it
self is almost totally without the
traditional tools of power, its
armed forces being only rudimen-
tary and its sovereignty restricted
by complicated conditions between
it and the Allied powers, the West
German regime can and will in
f1uence the course Of the East
West rivalry.
At this point it would be too
much to say that Chancellor Ade-
nauer's attitudes could make or
break the chances for success OF. a
summit meeting. The aging but
alert West German leader GER
tainly cannot dictate to either
side. But it is not too much to
say that the position of West
Germany could in itself predis-
pose a summit meeting to either
success or failure.
The question Of the reunifica-
ton of divided Germany is today
the greatest single stumbling