Kosygin To Visit Sweden In July

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31080, 8 June 1966, Page 6

Kosygin To Visit Sweden In July

(N..Z.P.. A- -Reuter)

STOCKHOLM.

Political pundits in Sweden are puzzled as Prime Minister, Mito why the Soviet Alexei Kosygin, chose Sweden for his first official visit to a Western country, next July.

He will arrive on July 4 at the invitation of the Swedish Prime Minister (Mr Tage Erlander). The length of his visit has not yet been determined, but it is expected to be one week. Talks while he is in Sweden will almost certainly include discussion of Soviet-Swedish trade, though this is by no means an urgent matter with a relatively new, and long term, trade agreement in force.

Cultural aspects will also be discussed, though again political experts do not consider that these alone would warrant an official visit at such a level. Some observers suggest that the Soviet Union is highly interested in Sweden’s disarmament policy, and especially in the nation’s effort in the field of nuclear test detection.

They recall that shortly before Mr Kosygin’s visit, experts from all over the world will attend a conference in Stockholm on methods of nuclear blast detection.

The Soviet representative at the Geneva conference, Mr Tsarapkin, recently called on Swedish Government officials. Sweden has played an active role in the Geneva talks, and it is believed that Mr Kosygin is anxious to emphasise the Soviet viewpoint. Thu two Prime Ministers will naturally discuss the international political situation. Some people suggest that Mr Kosygin may even try to persuade Sweden to initiate a Vietnam peace move, but most informed observers discount this. The case of Raoul Wallenberg, the Swedish Red Cross envoy who disappeared from Budapest and whom many believe to be held prisoner in the Soviet Union in spite of Soviet statements that he died, is not likely to be taken up this time. It was a major

issue during the visit of Mr Nikita Khrushchev, the former Soviet Prime Minister, in 1964, but the Swedish Government has now apparently given up all hope of solving the mystery. Political sources say that Mr Erlander may mention the case briefly to comply with internal political pressure, but he will not emphasise the case as he did previously. The agenda will also probably include discussions on Nordic security. Mr Kosygin will doubtless be anxious to hear Sweden’s views on the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation.

The visit will be marked by extremely strict security precautions, with thousands of police on duty in the capital. A special watch will be kept on Baltic refugees. Past visits to Sweden by Soviet leaders have always provoked some incident. After cancelling his visit in 1959 because of overwhelming criticism in the press, Mr Khrushchev eventually came in 1964—t0 be met withan icy

reception, an assassination attempt, and a pig daubed with his portrait.

Similar occurrences are not unlikely this time. The first protests against the visit have already been made. The mass circulation newspaper, “Expressen,” splashed “Stay at Home” across its front page when news of the visit was first released.

It also commented that the Swedish Government would have to be extremely diplomatic as the Soviet guest would be arriving on America’s national day. The Folk Party’s Youth Association also protested against the visit on the grounds of the sentences meted out to the Soviet authors, Sinyavsky and Daniel.

Mr Kosygin’s visit is expected to go more smoothly than that of Mr Khrushchev, but the concensus of public opinion and press comment in February suggested that he cannot expect to see huge crowds welcoming flags. The public is far more likely to ignore him.