Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-07-10
Hartman Off
On Russia Trip
ToTaIkA-Ban

SNNsMO ~ ~NNNN( "
Averell Hartman leaves WASH
ington today on the first leg
of a journey to Russia to ne
gotiate on Premier Khru-
shchev's offer Of a partial nu-
clear test ban and a European
non-aggression pact.
President Kennedy convened
"a National security Council
session late yesterday for q fl
nal rundown on Mr.. Harri-
mans assignment to the Mos
COW talks starting next Mon
day.
The top strategy group. ex-
panded to include senior adj
visers on disarmament mat
tiers, met at the White House
for less than an hour.
Meanwhile, 1t was understood
that no detailed report had
been received in Washington
yet on Belgian Foreign Min
lister Paul Henri Sparks meet
ing with Mr.. Khrushchev in
Kiev last Monday.
1t could arrive through West
ern diplomatic channels today.
Clues Sought
Strategists look to Mr..
Sparks account for some clues
on what Mr.. Khrushchev had
in mind in advancing his
vaguely worded twin proposal
in a July 2 East Berlin speech.
Mr.. Spaak, a former secre-
tary general of the North At
lantic Treaty Organization who
has favored a nonaggression
pact between the NATO and
Warsaw military alliances, told
N wsmen after seeing Mr..
Khrushchev that he was con-
fident East-West relations will
improve.
He did not go into detail
then, nor did he yesterday on
returning to Brussels.
United States authorities
were split between hope and
pessimism for the outcome of
the Hartman mission.
Hope stemmed from assess
ments that Mr.. Khrushchev
now wants to make. a deal with
the West because of his row
with Red China and other diff
ficulties.
Red Gambit Seen
Pessirnists figure the Khru-
shchev offer is a propaganda
gambit in his latest peaceful
coexistence" offensive which
will turn out to be as I'M
acceptable to the West as past
Soviet propositions.
In either case, Mr.. Harri-
mans visit is regarded as an
important probe of Kremlin in
tentions at a time of potential
change in East West relations.
The possible scope of the Mos
COW meeting, originally sched-
uled to deal with a nuclear test
ban, has been greatly broad
ened by Mr.. Khrushchev's toss
ing in the nonaggression pact
idea. Some believe this meeting
could lead to a series of East
West parleys.
Administration sources said
today, however, that Mr.. Har-
riman has been given authority
to negotiate on a nuclear test
ban but only to listen and dis
cuSs other issues such as q
nonaggresSion pact.
Mr.. Hartman is expected to
probe in detail for what Mr..
Khrushchev meant in propos-
ing a ban on all atomic tests
except those underground. The
West has proposed this, too, but
the SovietS have in the past in
sisted on an uninspected mora
forum on underground shots,
too-which has been unaccept-
able to the West.
The United States has been
unenthusiastic about a NATO-
Warsaw nonaggression pact.
But if the Soviets raise the
subject, as expected, Mr.. Harri-
man presumably will try to
find out whether Mr.. Khru-
shchev is insisting on a pack
age combination with a test
ban and what he wants in a
nonaggression accord.
Past Proposals Ignored
The West has cold-shoul-
dered past Kremlin nonaggres-
sion pact proposals whic h
would involve recognizing East
Germany. In any case, Mr..
Hartman could hardly directly
negotiate on the nonaggression
issue because any agreement
would have to be signed by all
is of the NATO nations mot
Just the United States.
Mr.. Hartman plans to fly
to New York late today. After
an overnight rest at his home,
he intends to take off for Lon
don tomorrow with other men,
bers Of his l0-man team.
In London he is to confer
with British officials before
proceeding on to Moscow July
Ia. The talks are scheduled to
open July IS. The British, who
are the third power at the Mos
COW talks, will be represented
by Science Minister Lord Hail
sham.
A State Department an
nouncement of the membership
of the Hartman team indicat-
ed Mr. Hartman will be nre.