PLEDGE ON BERLIN

Press, Volume C, Issue 29511, 12 May 1961, Page 13

PLEDGE ON BERLIN

Ministers Of N.A.T.O.

IN Z Press Aswn —Copyright)

OSLO, May 10 The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation's Ministerial Council today renewed the Western pledge to stand firm on Berlin’s freedom, and expressed its desire for disarmament. a nuclear test ban. and a settlement of outstanding differences with the Communists. But the final communique "deplored Soviet unwillingness to reciprocate.”

The Ministers failed to agree on one issue—Portugal’s colonial policy in Africa. In this. Portugal stands alone, delegates said. The other members would like to persuade her to abandon her policy of “integrating” colonies with the homeland and to promise them self-determination. But the Ministers were careful in their choice of words to avoid offending the Portuguese Government

Three concrete results of the three-day N ATO, conference are:

Agreement to set .up machinery for political consultations on the

Communist challenge anywhere in the world. A three-man mission to study

economic aid for Greece and Turkey America’s offer of five nuclear submarines with Polaris missiles for the N ATO. area.

Dr, Dirk Stikker, NAT O secretary-general, questioned about control of these submarines, said this was still under consideration.