Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-02-26
Risky Moves
ByKremIin
Feared Here
BY JOHN M. HIGHTOwER
Associated Press star Writer

beginning TO build up again I'M
der the impact Of Nikita Khru-
shchev's oratory.
Unless the Soviet government
can be drawn into high-level
negotiations on German issues
in the next two or three
months. authorities here are
not sure what may happen. But
they see an increasing posi-
bility that in his present cocky,
confident mood the Soviet Pre-
mier may try some extremely
risky moves.
United States officials still
cling to the hope that Mr..
Khrushchev will agree to a
Foreign Ministers meeting for
late April or early May. His
speech in Moscow Tuesday re-
jecting the idea Of negotiations
tabout German reunification
does not constitute a real an
swer to the Western proposal Of
February is for a Big Four
ministers session, informants
said.
Eisenhower Gloomy
But President Eisenhower's
rather gloomy appraisal of the
outlook at his news conference
yesterday seemed to reflect a
growing uncertainty over the
possibility of actually getting
serious negotiations started.
Mr.. Eisenhower said that Mr..
Khrushchev had displayed an
obviously palpably intransigent
attitude" in his speech this week
and though there was nothing
very new in it the tone and
the timing were matters of
concern.
Noting that the speech came
in the midst of Mr.. Khru-
shchev'S talks with British
Prime Minister Macmillan, Mr..
Eisenhower said the develop
ment lis not one that, GER
tainly, you could call hopeful"
He then defined a two-point
policy for the United States in
the present situation. Firct. he
said, eve are not going to give
one single inch in the preserva-
ton Of our rights" to maintain
the Western position in West
Berlin and to move supplies
into that city.
The possibility of another
Berlin blockade has been con-
sidered ever since Mr.. Khru-
Shchev last November suggested
the Western powers get out of
Berlin. He announced plans
which in effect would turn over
to East Germany control of the
allied access routes to West
Berlin in May.
U. S. Ready to Talk
Second, Mr.. Eisenhower said
that this country and its allies
are always ready to negotiate
when the other person will give
us the slightest area or region
in which to negotiate"
But he agreed that he could
not see very much use for
conferences" or much promise
for negotiation if the current
Russian attitude continues.
Reports from Moscow de-
scribed Mr.. Macmillan as
stunned by Mr.. Krhushchev's
maneuver in publicly taking
an unyielding line on German
issues in the midst of his dis
cusSionS with the British Prime
Minister. Diplomats here con-
Sidered it a radical departure
from normal diplomacy.
One possible explanation
suggested by diplomatic officials
was that Mr.. Khrushchev was
trying to bring public pressure
to bear to get concessions from
the British leader in private
talks.
Impasse on Agenda
Mr.. Khrushchev, for example,
wants to negotiate with the
Western powers solely about
their status in Berlin. But that
question is not negotiable, Mr.. |
Eisenhower declared yesterday
The British have taken the
same position. !
officials said today that the /
real purpose of Mr.. Khru-
shchev's recent speeches could
not be judged until the out
come of his talks with Mr..
Macmillan is known early next
week.