Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-11-22
Cuba and India
Sober Russia,
London Thinks

kVHUUII IIuIINS
LONDON, Nov. % CAP)-
Diplomats in London said today
the Soviet Union may be ready
to negotiate seriously on a
number Of major East-West
problems.
These include the suspension
OF nuclear weapons tests. safe
guards against surprise attack
and possibly even the big cold
war issues Of general disarma-
ment and Germany and Berlin.
The informants linked this
apparent new Soviet desire for
meaningful talks with the
Cuban crisis and the Chinese
CommuniSt-Indian clash. Taken
together. they said, the two
events have rearranged the in
ternational scene to an extent
not seen since the Korean war.
Reaction of Western diplo-
mats to this possible change
Of mood in Moscow is one of
hope heavily mixed with eau
ton.
Turn to West Mentioned
A few voices are even sug-
costing that as time goes on
the Soviet Union may turn to-
ward the West. This theme
was voiced by Foreign Secre-
tary Lord Home in a speech
to the Conservative Association
at oxford University last night.
He said:
There are some signs that
after the purging experience of
Cuba the Russians may reaSseSS
their role in international So
ciety."
He went on to say that part
of Britain's modern role should
be to help transform "the
negative. sterile doctrine Of CO.
existence into one of active CO.
operation with the countries of
Europe which are at present
Communist, among whom I
include Russia"
According to the latest West
ern assessments, the Soviet
Unions relations with Com
munist China are tense.
At the same time the infor-
mantS discount rumorS that
factions are disputing inside
the Kremlin.
MiscaIculation Realized
Premier khrushchev, accord
ing to this view, remains firmly
in the saddle. The Soviet shifts
on Cuba are said to have re-
suited from an 11th-hour real
ization in the Kremlin that
Russia's assessment of Presi-
dent Kennedy had been wrong.
Instead of displaying the weak
ness the Russians had ex-
pected, Mr.. Kennedy emerged
as a powerful international
leader.
Cuba seems to have been one
Of Mr.. Khrushchev's major
mistakes. He underestimate
the risks involved.
Diplomats pointed out that
for the first time the Russians
found themselves in a crisis
which they were not able to
direct or control for their own
purposes.
The Western assessment pic
tured the Russians as disturbed
and embarrassed by the Chi
nese Communist-In strug-
gle.
Geneva May Give Hint
If the Kremlin has decided
on a new reasonable line, the
first concrete expression may
come at the 17-nation disarma-
ment talks reSuming in Geneva
Monday.
Mr.. Khrushchev is reported
willing to discuss the conclusion
of a nuclear test ban treaty
under some compromise ar
rangement acceptable to the
United States and Britain as
we'll as the Soviet Union.
The Russians realize the
West will never accept control
system based solely on the So
called black boz system of I'M
manned monitoring devices
scattered about the world to
report suspicious underground
disturbances.
Room for Arrangement
Room remains, however, to
work out some arrangement in
which the black boxes would
be scattered in with interna-
tionally manned control posts.
Other enforcing arrange
ments would remain to be
worked out, but a breakthrough
on the nuclear test ban issue
would give hope of agreement
on measures to prevent surprise
attack or war by accident.
The informants said the ques-
ton of general disarmament is
much more difficult. Mr.. Khru-
shchev believes that serious dis
armament cannot take place
until Berlin and Germany are
settled-and these are the most
difficult of all cold war issues.