Laos Commission Meeting Again

Press, Volume C, Issue 29500, 29 April 1961, Page 11

Laos Commission Meeting Again

(N.Z P.A .•Reuter—Copyrtgnt) (Rec. 11 p.m.) NEW DELHI, April 28. The Indian Prime Minister, Mr Nehru, will today open the first meeting of the International Commission on Laos for three years.

Mr Nehru will welcome delegates from Canada and Poland, meeting under India’s chairmanship, at the inaugural session in the New Delhi conference building called the House of Wisdom. As the three-nation commission prepared to meet to discuss control of a Laos cease fire, diplomatic circles expressed concern at the reported delay in halting the fighting. Before last night’s reports from Washington and Moscow of heightened East-West tension over Laos, the delegates were reported to be optimistic about the commission’s work.

Both the chairman, Mr Samarendranath Sen. of India. and Mr Leon Mayrand, of Canada, said they hoped

for an early effective cease fire, while Mr Jerzy Michalowski, of Poland, said he did not expect “big difficulties.”

But diplomatic sources tempered the general optimism by saying there were several “imponderables” which could slow down the proceedings of the commission. adjourned since 1958. Other sources said the international conference on Laos, due to open in Geneva on May 12, might have to be postponed unless the commission moved into Laos by next week.

Moscow Radio last night accused the United States of “endangering a peaceful settlement” in the kingdom. It said the United States was encouraging the Rightwing forces of Prince Boun Oum's Government and that the first transport planes had already brought to Vientiane large quantities of the most modern weapons and ammunition.”