Evening star., 1961-05-15
GENEVA


representation.
| But the conference here may
never deal with the political
and governmental aspects of
the crisis in Laos since discus
sions that may lead to the for
nation Of a neutral govern
ment now are under way in
the Indo-Chinese kingdom
itself.
The three top leaders Of the
rival forces are not in Geneva,
preferring to remain at home
in the hope some sort Of po-
litical settlement can be
achieved there. If they reach
a settlement on the spot. then
representatives Of an even
tually unified government
might come to Geneva to rep
resent the country as fully
privileged participants.
/ The foreign ministers con-
ference therefore would devote
itself primarily to matters af-
fecting the international as
poets Of the problem-such as
the matters Of arms control and
international supervision Of the
country's neutrality.
Yesterday. agreement had
been reached by the big powers
on a formula to seat all three
rival Laotian groups as observ-
ers. but not participants.
They would have been desig-
mated as representatives of
their own political factions but
not as representatives of Laos.
But at the last moment, the
pro-Western Laotians and the
Pathet Lao refused to take part
on this basis.
Russians COncede Point
In accepting the new British
French proposal, the Russians
and their Communist allies also
gave a point. They originally
had demanded that the Pathet
Lao be represented at the con-
ference as a full governmental
delegation on the same footing
as any Of the other l3 nations
taking part. The West refused
to agree to this.
Phoumi Vonvichit of the
Pathet Lao declared his forces
were the masters of the coun-
try" and would not be relegated
to the subordinate role. He
added that any decision the
conference made without par
ticipation of the Pathet Lao
would be invalid.
The head of Souvanna
Phouma's mission asserted I'VE
would not come as observers in
the ordinary sense of the word.
that Is, as people who can only
look on" The Pathet Lao, the
Soviet Union, Red China and
Souvanna Phouma all contend
that he heads the only legal
Laotian government.
A royal government spokes-
man said his group could not
accept the plan because the
full delegation has not yet ar
rived in Geneva. He also con-
tended that a cease fire actual
ly Is not in effect in Laos be-
cause Pathet Lao artillery is
attacking a village held by Meo
tribesmen loyal to the royal
government.
Third Major Snag
1t was the third major block
to the opening of the CONFER
ence, originally called to start
on Friday. At first Britain and
the United States refused to
join in until the international
truce commission certified that
a cease fire was in effect in
Laos.
After that report came from
the commission, Mr.. Rusk
agreed to participation of Sou
wanna Phouma's delegation in
the conference along with the
delegates from the Vientiane
government. But Mr.. Rusk
rejected Soviet Foreign Min
lister Andrei Gromyko's demand
for equal status for the Pathet
Lao. The American said no.
body-not even the Soviet bloc
recognized the Pathet Lao as
a government.
Mr.. Rusk and Mr.. GromykoI
finally agreed yesterday toI
Lord Homes compromise. and
for a time the conference was
scheduled to open this after
noon. Then the Laotians