Evening star., 1961-06-01
KENNEDY
Leaders Take Up Touchier Questions
After Agreeing on Firm Berlin Stond
Continued From First Page

Continued From First Page
Getting with Soviet Premier
AhruShchev in Vienna has pro-
duced a noticeable hardening
Of the American position on
Berlin in the last few weeks.
And the understanding
reached here yesterday with
Gen. de Gaulle serves as a
clear warning to Mr.. Khrush-
chev that when it comes to
Berlin, Mr.. Kennedy is pre-
pared to be very firm indeed.
American readiness to accept
all the risks involved in a new
squeeze on Berlin was empha-
sized by Mr.. Kennedy in the
course of his speech at the
Elysee Palace last night.
American forces, he said, will
remain in Europe as long as
they are required and are ready
to meet any threat with what
ever response is required"
Problem Of Means
There is less agreement, per-
hapS, on the question of the
precise means the allies should
use to counter a Communist
threat to the city.
1t is unlikely the two Presi-
dents got down to such ques-
tionS Of military detail In the
course Of their opening CONVEX
Sations.
The problem of working out
agreed contingency plans" cov-
ering various possible situations
evidently has been turned over
to q Joint committee Of British,
French and Americans to be
headed by former Secretary of
State Acheson.
This same pattern is likely to
be followed during the rest of
M. Kennedy's visit here. Spe-
cttic agreements on most Of the
subjects under discussion are
considered unlikely by many
Observers here.
Once broad principles have
been worked out between the
Two Presidents. 1t will be I'D to
the experts to reduce these
principals to concrete plans of
action.
TOuchy Subjects Remain
This is particularly true of
the touchy subjects that re-
main to be raised in the course
OF the next two days. Mr.. Ken
nedy is known to be anxious
to come to a better understand
ing with Gen. de Gaulle on the
question Of Frances nuclear
development and its full par
ticipation in the Atlantic AL
lance. l.,
The general is known to be ,
very much preoccupied with the :
problem Of control Of nuclear :
weapons and the need for ,
three-power consultations on
a Worldwide scale. And these :
topics offer considerable diff
culties for reaching agreements
even OF the most general sort.
Perhaps, however, the diff
ftculties are not insurmount-
able. Gen. de Gaulle's insist
erice that France must develop J
It's own nuclear deterrent seems
TO- receive a more sympathetic !
nearing by the present admin
lstration than by the previous !
one. /
And while it is quite unlikely {
That any major change in
american policy on sharing nu-
clear information or equipment :
VIII come out of these talks, a
number Of more limited agree
ments may be possible. s
Three-POwer Directorate
On the question Of allied con- 6
sultation there may also be a
chance to make real progress. I
In his talks today and to-
morrow Gen. de Gaulle is ex- l
pected to develop his argument, !
first made to the Eisenhower {
administration, that a three s
power directorate of Britain,
France and the United States
outside Of NATO is essential to {
the security Of the Western l
world. 81 /
: Since his arrival here Mr..
Kennedy has spoken Of the re- &
lationShip between France and
the United States as essential r
for the preservation of freedom S
around the globe" l
Mr.. Kennedy's speech to the |
NATO Council today - added
late to the Presidents Paris
Schedule-serves as a deliberate
reminder to the French Presi- /
dent that the council is still +
considered the principal forum s
for development Of a co-or- v
dinated Western policy. t
What the French President r
would like to see come out of I
this meeting is an agreement I
to consult regularly on the /
highest level on a three-power
basis. It is felt that meetings t
between heads of state at least {
every six months would be an
essential part of this consulta-