A crowed of 2,000 welcomed Soviet Premier Khrushchev in Helsinki, Sept 2, when he arrived by rail from Moscow for the following day's 60th birthday celebrations of Dr Urho Kekkonen, the President of Finland.

Khrushchev was met at the station by Dr Kekkonen, Prime Minister Sukselainen, Foreign Minister Toerngren and Trade Minister Karjalainen. The unofficial visit began very formally with national anthems followed by handshakes between President Kekkonen and Premier Khrushchev, who was accompanied by the head of the Soviet Foreign Ministry's Scandinavian department, Lunov, and several advisers.

In his reply to a speech of welcome by the President, the Soviet Premier said the western press had asked what sort of secret negotiations he had come to conduct. He added: "I have come simply to congratulate my good friend, Mr Kekkonen, on his birthday" Khrushchev declared the friendly relations between Russia and Finland were "an example of peaceful coexistence between states with different social and economic systems."