Critical Stage In Moscow Negotiations

Chronicle (Levin), 4 August 1948, Page 5

Critical Stage In Moscow Negotiations

(N.Z.P.A.-

-Reuter

\ , Copyright)

Received. Wednesday., 11 a.m. LONDON, August 3. Diplomatic experts today were cautiously optimisti'c about last night's Moscow calks, but there is no official ■ comment yet. The United States Ambqssaior in London, Mr. Lewis Douglas, called at the Foreign Office and discussed the Western ,envoys' report with the Foreign Secretary, Mr. Ernest Bevin. According to Reuter's diplomatic .correspondent, Britain, the United States and France are expected to frame the next set of instructions to their Moscow envoys after exchanges between the capitals, but it will probably be some days before che instructions go to Moscow. Some Moscow reports suggest that the Western envoys saw Marshal Stalin -separately, vvhich would be the usual procedure. No arrangements have been made for Mr. Bevin's principai private secretary, Mr. Frank Roberts, who is Britain's envoy, to return to London, and there is nothing to indicate whether another meeting with Marsh'al Stalin has been arranged. Diplomats consider the next cew days as the critical stage ii. he negotiations on which maj lepend the future relations o .he great wartime Allies, a: .vell as the future of Germanj md European harmony. It ii felt, therefore, that' any leakage of information might cause .rreparable harm. The British United Press:. Paris correspondent says tha Foreign Office sources there also express cautious opti.mism on the outcome of the Moscov. calks because of the length oi cime that Marshal Stalin con ferred with the Western en/oys. The Foreign Minister. M. Schuman, received a repon on the talks from the Frencl. Ambassador in Moscow.