Evening star., 1961-08-27
Mansfield Fovors Eost-West ToIks
On Berlin; Dirksen Urges West Wait
BY the Associated Press

Republican leaders disagreed
yesterday on whether the West
should seek negotiations with
Russia over Berlin.
Democratic Leader Mansfield
Of Montana expressed belief
that the free world has got to
get off dead center" He Sug-
gested negotiations be begun at
the ambasSadorial level, fol-
lowed by a foreign ministers
meeting and an eventual sum-
NIT conference if progress JUS
titles such a course.
Republican Leader Dirksen of
Illinois said in a separate in
terView he does not oppose ne
gotiationS. But he thinks that
for the West to take the initia-
tive now might be interpreted
as Q disclosure of weakness in
our position that does not ex-
ist."
The Western Big Four are
represented as divided over the
quetion of early talks with the
Soviets over the potentially ex-
plosiye situation in Berlin.
The United States, Britain and
West Germany favor early ne
gottations, but France is against
conferences held in the face of
Moscow'S threats.
Drops Berlin Unity Plan
Senator Mansfield, member
Of the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee, stirred up a storm
Of controversy with a recent
proposal that East and West
Berlin be unified and neutral
lied as a free city. But he said
today he believes the possibility
OF such a settlement diSap-
peared when the Communists
sealed off the border between
the two parts of the city.
The Montana Senator said
Western rights in Berlin and
the right Of free access to the
city are not negotiable. He
added that there is nothing
we can do" about Soviet Pre-
mier Khrushchev's declared
intention of signing a Sepa-
rate peace treaty with East |
Germany.
But. he said there are other
matters on which some agree
mentS must be reached to avoid
an .East-WeSt collision.
Eve should begin at the am
basSadorial level to get down
to the bedrock to determine
what is negotiable" he said.
I'VE should give our represent
ativeS in these conferences,
which should be held privately,
responsibility to make prelimi-
nary decisions.
"The foreign ministers then
could meet to go into details.
If they could agree on any
thing, then a summit meeting
might be worth while"
Awaits Soviet Move
Senator Dirksen said he
thinks President Kennedy has
gone about as far as anybody
could go in making our posi-
ton plain that we intend to
maintain our legal rights in
Berlin"
There isn't actually any,
thing we can do or say un-
less the Soviets indicate that
they want to negotiate other
matters" he said.
IF they want to take the
initiative, then we should be
willing to negotiate"
In a separate formal state
ment issued yesterday Senator
Mansfield declared that Pre-
mier Khrushchev should be
called on to spell out in detail
how Western rights of access
to West Berlin would be pro-
tected in event of any changes
in the Berlin situation.
He noted that Mr.. Khru-
shchev has insisted tn at
changes must be made and
that they would not infringe
on Western rights in the city, /
including rights of access to
West Berlin.
What we need if there is to
be peace as well as change in
Berlin" he stated. us an elab-
Grafton of what the changes
which Khrushchev proposes !
may mean"
Senator Mansfield listed a
number Of specific questions
that could be discussed IN ne
gotiations. He suggested that
they be considered without 6
benefit of publicity and with a !
desire to avert a collision or an
explosion"
The Montana Democrat said
1t is not so important who
might initiate negotiations and
1t is. not a question of negotiat-
ing through fear.