Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1961-09-14
Rusk toConfer
WithGromyko
In New York
Pair Will Explore
Berlin Solutions
At U. N. Session
BY EARL H. VOSS
Star Staff Writer

meet with Soviet Foreign Min
lister Gromyko in New York next
week to begin exploratory con-
versations on resolving the
Berlin crisis without war.
The Soviet Foreign Ministry
announced today that Mr..
Gromyko would head his coun-
try's delegation to the 18th
United Nations General Assem-
bly, session opening next Tues
day and would be ready for an
exchange of views with Mr..
Rusk on German problems at
that time.
A few minutes later, a highly
placed American official rated
it a certainty that a Rusk-
Gromyko exchange of view
points would take place in New
York. No date has been set,
the source said. but he assumed
the first meeting would take
place quite early, meaning in
the first few days after the two
Foreign Ministers reach New
York.
Rusk Leaves Monday
Mr.. Rusk is scheduled to 90
to New York Monday.
These developments came as
the Foreign Ministers of the
United States, Britain, France
and West Germany assembled
here for a three-day strategy
conference.
The Moscow announcement
said the Soviet statement was
intended to answer President
Kennedy's declaration yester-
day-that the United States is
ready to enter serious talks
with the Russians if the Rus
slams show a desire for such
talks.
Official British sources in
London said Secretary Rusk
will state the Western allies
willingness to take part in an
East-West conference on the
Berlin and German problems,
provided the negotiations are
not limited to Soviet proposals
for settling the problems, the
Associated Press reported.
More Than One Meeting
This would leave it up to
Russia to make the proposal
for a definite time and place
as we'll as for the participants
in the conference, according to
the London report.
American officials spoke of
"a set of exploratory CONVEX
sations," implying there would
be more than one meeting
between Secretary Rusk and
Mr.. Gromyko.
1t is also possible that the
British Foreign Minister, Lord
Home, will see Mr.. Gromyko
in New York.
The Western foreign min
listers meeting here is to plan
strategy for the negotiations
on Berlin and for other prob
lens expected to be raised at
the United Nations General
Assembly.
Secretary Rusk and Lord
Home we're to meet with
French Foreign Minister Couve
de Murville at the State De-
partment late this afternoon
in the opening session.
Brentano to Join Talks
West German Foreign Min
lister Won Brentano is to join
the other three allied diplo-
mats for two meetings tomor-
row and another Saturday
morning.
Mr.. Won Brentano had break
fast with Secretary Rusk this
morning and the French Min
lister saw the Secretary in the
early afternoon.
American officials said the
Rusk Gromyko exploratory
talks would be of the type nee
essary prior to any summit
meeting. They recalled that
President Kennedy has in
sisted that lower level prepa-
rations give some prospect of
success before he would agree
to attend summit meeting
with Premier Khrushchev.
| Mr.. Kennedy said yesterday
that the presence of both Mr..
Rusk and Mr.. Gromyko at the
U. N meeting would provide an
opportunity for serious talks
about Germany and other prob
lens "if the Soviet side proves
willing" The Presidents COM
ment was in a statement at
the conclusion of his meetings
with Indonesia's President ST.
karno and Mails President
Keita.
The channels of diplomacy
are open for the exploration of
constructive steps toward a
reduction of tension" Mr.. Ken
nedy said. Other means are
available when they can serve
a useful purpose. Meanwhile,
it is clearly of the utmost i'm
portance that there be no uni
lateral arts which make neane-