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SUMMIT PREPARATIONS — SCHEDULE OF MEETINGS

Following is text of schedule of meetings relating to Summit preparation which has been agreed to by U.K., U.S. and French governments and will, we understand, be circulated at NATO Council Meeting tomorrow. Our comments going forward in immediately following telegram. Text Begins: Summit Preparations

A. Schedule of Meetings

The date of 2nd May for the NATO Ministerial Meeting in Istanbul has already been proposed to the Council by the Turkish Government and it is hoped that agreement can be reached on this date at the meeting of the Permanent Council on the 13th January.

2. If this is agreed, the proposed schedule of all meetings associated with the Summit would be as follows:

(1) The United States, United Kingdom, French and German Foreign Ministers would meet in Washington on 13th and 14th April, to consider progress in the Summit preparations.

(2) The North Atlantic Council Foreign Ministers Meeting would be held in Istanbul beginning the 2nd May.

(3) There would be a meeting of the United States, United Kingdom, French and German Heads of Government in Paris on the 14th-15th May.

(4) The Summit Meeting would be held in Paris. The period beginning 16th May has been set aside; the termination date is not certain.

(5) The Foreign Ministers of the United States, United Kingdom and France will be available to report to the Permanent Council in Paris on the Summit immediately after its termination.

3. This schedule has been devised to ensure the best possible arrangements for full NATO consultation at the Ministerial level before the Summit takes place and to ensure a report by the participating Foreign Ministers directly to the full NATO membership immediately after the Summit Meeting.

B. Arrangements for Preparatory Work

4. A Four-Power Group consisting of the United States Secretary of State and the British, French and German Ambassadors will meet regularly at Washington to co-ordinate the Western positions for the East-West Summit. When disarmament is the subject of discussion in the co-ordinating group the Italian and Canadian Ambassadors will be invited to attend. The North Atlantic Council will receive regular reports on the progress of the preparatory work.

5. Detailed preparatory work will be carried out as follows:

(1) Germany Including Berlin: A Four Power Working Group will meet at Washington.

(2) East/West Relations: The NATO Council itself is regarded as the principal forum for co-ordinating the views of the membership. In order to provide the closest possible working relationship between this activity and the preparations for the negotiations with the Soviets, there will be established an East-West Relations Working Group in Paris attended by a NATO observer.

6. The Five Power Committee (United States, United Kingdom, France, Italy and Canada) for disarmament preparations will be meeting at Washington beginning January 25th. Its work will also be utilised by the co-ordinating group in preparation of the Western disarmament position for the Summit.