Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-10-21
Much Activity

Conjecture increased later in
the week as a result of other
diplomatic activity. These in
Guided:
. Soviet Foreign Minister
Gromyko spent two and a half
hours with President Kennedy in
the White House on Thursday
afternoon, and followed this with
a working dinner at the State De-
partment with Secretary of State
Rusk. The Rusk- Gromyko parley
lasted until 1890 am.
Most observers believe that con-
siderable ground was covered dur
ing Mr.. Gromyko's six and half
hours in Washington Che also dis
cuSSed nuclear testing questions
with disarmament head William
c. FOSTER. But, again the lids
{ of secrecy were tight.
State Department. spokesman
would say only that no concrete
shifts of policy developed as a
result of the talks, and positions
remain the same. Mr.. Gromyko,
in a cheerful mood, would say
only the talks were useful"
. Polish Premier Gomulka visit
ed East Germany last week as
the guest of Communist boss
Walter Ulbricht. Mr.. Gomulka
praised improved Polish German
relations, but also promised that
when East Germany gets its peace
treaty, access rights for everyone
will be protected. This was the
first time a Communist leader
has made such a statement with
out coupling it with demands for
Allied withdrawal from Berlin.
Either Mr.. Gomulka made a slip
or was trying to ease the ground
for Mr.. Ulbricht who has de-
manded full Allied withdrawal
from Berlin.
AS a result Of these develop
ments, many questions were
raised, but there were few con-
crete answers. Here are some of
the problems with which top an
alysts are wrestling:
Will Mr.. Khrushchev come to
the United Nations and there
by seek an audience with Mr..
Kennedy?
Most observers believe he will
but that Mr.. Kennedy is not too
enthusiastic about the idea. The
reason: If the talks do not pro-
vide any concrete compromise,
tensions will undoubtedly become
worse.
Will MIR. Khrushchev sign a
peace treaty with East Germany
by the end of the year? Next
year? Ever? And would he sign
it before a visit to the U. n,
or after?
Most Washington officials be-
lieve he will sign the treaty, and
some believe he will sign it this
year. Allied officials, viewer,
doubt that such a treaty is in
the winds, and some doubt if it
will be signed at all.
German officials, led by For
eign Minister Schroeder who Wis
tied Washington last week, be-
lieve that Washington is too anx-
1ous about such a treaty. Mr..
Schroeder believes that Mr.. Khru-
shchev knows the risks involved,
and does not want a war. The
Germans and French also believe
that any such treaty would take
months to sign since Mr.. Khru-
shchev would want a well-adver-
tised world peace conference"
If Mr.. Khrushchev decided to
sign peace treaty with East
Germany, will he also turn over
control of the vital access routes
to Berlin?
This is a complicated question,
and officials here are not sure of
the answer. Presently, the East
Germans control the civilian &C
cess routes to Berlin-95 per cent
of the total traffic. The Soviet
Union controls the military traf-
fic, as part of its postwar COM
mitments.
If the Russians turned over
control Of the military routes to
the East Germans, the East Ger
mans might try to impose visa