Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-05-26
CONFERENCE
Secret Talks on German Problem
Due to Start Friday at Geneva

West Berlin and using access
routes TO 1t.
Mr.. Hetter spoke amid indi-
cations that rival Western and
Eastern ideas for q stopgap
solution in Berlin may be TAX
ing shape.
Russia and the Western
powers had SPARED for more
than q week over the question
of breaking OF the repetitious
debate on q German peace set
tiement and getting the con-
ference into a position for ac-
tive negotiations on two more
immediate issues--a stopgap
srrans6inent to ease the Berlin
crisis and agreement on q sum-
NIT conference.
The United States announce
ment did not say exactly how
the problem was settled or
who took the initiatiye--Mr.
Lloyd Or Mr.. Gromyko. Neither
side had wanted to be blamed
for going into private discuss
sions and seeming to back
away from the problems OF
German peace settlement.
One report was that Mr..
Gronlyko had asked for to-
days talk with Mr.. Lloyd.
VIII Cut Down Reports
The effects OF private dis
cussions win be:
/. TO cut down ON the for
malIy announced accounts Of
what goes on ineach meeting.
q. Reduce the number of So
Wet and Western officials as
we'll as stan assistants in the
conference room from more
than 100 to about IL.
8. To- exclude the East and
West Germans from the dis
cusslons, an act which the West
Germans favored because it
would symbolic lack of equal
status with the Big -Four for
East Germany.
The United States announce
ment said:
ssDuri1g the meeting this
morning between Foreign Min
istErs Lloyd and Gromyko the
subject Of the next meeting
following the recess arose.
ut was agreed between Mr..
Gromyko and Mr.. Lloyd, VINO
had. previously ascertained the
views Of his two Western coll
leagues, that the meeting to
be held on Friday afternoon
should be held privately.
Since Mr.. Lloyd is chair
man OF the conference on Fri
day the session will be held at
the British residence"
East Germans Critical
A spokesman for Communist
East Germany's delegation de-
clared at once that discussions
of German questions by the
Big Four could only be held
when East and West German
representatives were present.
"OfIicial talks Of the tour
foreign ministers on German
questions without German rep
resentatives would not bring
any success" the spokesman
said.
1T would not be possible for
the four to make formal deci-
sions. on German questions
without the Germans being
present.
The West German delegation
made no immediate comment
on the announcement. But
Western German officials have
said they favor any type of Big
Four negotiations that might
lead to progress on the German
question.
Special Saturday Session
Only a brief conference ses-
sion was conducted this aft
ernoon before all four for
eign ministers few to WASH
ington for the Dulles funeral.
On their return the ministers
will meet Friday and will hold
a special Saturday session to
make up some Of their lost
time.
Meanwhile, Western diplo-
mats reported these develop
ments:
American. British, French
and West German experts are
busting of and updating the
10-year agreement for Big -Four
control Of divided Berlin. The
idea is to adapt it to serve as
a basis for a new accord.
East German officials. clearly
with Russian consent, are cir
culating informally a plan for
a new Berlin deal that calls
for Western recognition of the
East German regimes author
ity in and around parts of the
city.
Infornants stressed tn
Western powers have yet to
agree on precise proposals to
offer the Russians. A lot de-
ponds on the readiness the So
VETS show for negotiating a
workable and acceptable deal.
Publicly the West still stands
on Its call for free elections to
unite West and East Berlin just
as the Russians officially still
demand that West Berlin be
made a demilitarized city UNI
protected by Western garrisons.
Present thinking-as out
lined by Western and Commu-
mist sources suggests that
West and East in the future
negotiations may be able to
meet on a number of points.
Here are some examples:
Control Of access routes-the
West reluctantly would rec
ognize the East Germans as
Soviet agents along the air,
land and water lanes tn Rer.