Evening star., 1961-05-21


The two conferences offer
some striking contrasts.
Both are efforts to negotiate
an end to long-laSting Subver-
Sive wars. In both cases there is
the threat of ''internationaliZa-
ton" of the conflict and threats
Of increasing Communist in
volvement. In Algeria, as in
Laos, the establishment of a
firm cease-fire and the makeup
Of new local government are
critical questions.
But here the SimilaritieS end
abuptly. The prospects for the
two conferences are vastly diff
ferent. And while the confer
ence on Laos seems at this point
like an exercise in pure futility,
there is a real hope that the
meeting in Evian may bring an
end to the bloody siX-year war
In Algeria.
A Good Start Is Made
President de Gaulle at least
seems determined that the talks
should succeed and he has
taken a number of firm steps
to help them off to a good start.
Less than an hour after the
two delegations started their
meeting today at the we'll
guarded Hotel Du Park in the
lakeside resort town, the an
nouncement was made in Paris
that a general cease fire by
French forces in Algeria would
become effective as of 6 o'clock
this evening for a period of one
month.
In addition, 5000 political
prisoners were ordered released
from detention camps in AL
geria and a number of other
captured Algerian nationalist
leaders, including Ahmed Ben
Bella were to be transferred to
less vigorously guarded chateau.
These steps, to be sure, have
been greeted with much less
than complete enthusiasm by
the Algerian provisional govern
ment in TuinS or their delegates
here.
Prisoners Discussed
Speaking tonight before a
crowded press conference Rah-
da Malek. a spokesman for the
TuniS delegation, remarked
wryly that his side took note
Of the transfer of the leaders
and the release of the prisoners.
He complained. however, that
great difficulties were still to
be overcome before Ben Bella
and his companions could take
part in the conference as was
their right.
AS for the other prisoners,
Mr.. Malek said that French de-
cision cannot by any means
mask the Algerian reality
There were, he said, hundreds
Of thousands Of Algerian pa
triotS" still held in prisons
while two million we're detained
in veritable concentration
camps"
The Algerians, however, seem
most disturbed about the cease
fire order. Their spokesman
here read a communique from
Tunis which described order as
"a pure propaganda move" and
"blackmail" aimed at affecting
negotiations.
For their part, the Algerians
would not be in any way bound
by the French decision, Mr..
Malek said. The war would con-
tinue and could be ended only
by a negotiated agreement
worked out between the two
sides.
NatiOnalists Irritated
There may also be another
reason for the nationalist irri-
tation about the cease-fire. The
French have long suspected
that the provisional govern
ment, even if it wanted a
cease-fire, would have consid-
cradle difficulty in making the
order respected by their guer-
rilla units in Algeria.
Their inability to control
their own forces would amount
to a severe blow to their pre-
tentions as leaders Of the re-
bellion and of the Algerian peo-
pie.
otherwise, however. the first
day of the conference did not
seem to go too badly. After a
morning meeting. the word
which went around press head
quarters in Evian, known ap-
propriately as the palace Of
festivities" was that the atmos-
phere was correct" on both
sides.