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Initials AK/V/MR/SGM


EDITORS: SEE ALSO 0344/63 - KHRUSHCHEV ARRIVES EAST BERLIN

Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: AT THE OPENING MEETING OF THE CONGRESS OF THE EAST GERMAN COMMUNIST PARTY, HERR ULBRICHT TODAY (TUESDAY) SHARPLY CONDEMNED CHINA'S' GO-IT-ALONE' POLICIES. THE EAST GERMAN COMMUNIST LEADER CONTRASTED CHINA'S ATTITUDE WITH THE GROWING UNDERSTANDING OVER BERLIN BETWEEN MOSCOW AND WASHINGTON.

HERR ULBRICHT TOLD THE 2,500 DELEGATES FROM 30 COUNTRIES THAT HIS GOVERNMENT FULLY SUPPORTED MR. KHRUSHCHEV'S POLICY OF PEACEFUL CO-EXISTENCE AND SAID HE WISHED CHINA HAD ADHERED TO IT. HE DESCRIBED AS 'UNNECESSARY' THE RECENT SINO-INDIAN BORDER CONFLICT, AND EXPRESSED THE HOPE THAT EAST GERMANY'S GOOD RELATIONS WITH INDIA WOULD CONTINUE IN THE FUTURE.

AT THE END OF HIS SIX-HOUR SPEECH, HERR ULBRICHT WAS GIVEN A STANDING OVATION FROM THE CONGRESS, AND WAS WARMLY EMBRACED BY MR. KHRUSHCHEV. BUT THE LEADER OF THE CHINESE DELEGATION, MR. WU, ROSE TO HIS FEET ONLY AFTER THE REST OF THE AUDIENCE, AND THEN CLAPPED FOR ONLY A FEW SECONDS. COMMUNIST OBSERVERS AT THE CONGRESS SAID THAT HERR ULBRICHT'S COMMENTS ABOUT CHINA WERE A "SURPRISINGLY STRONG REAFFIRMATION OF SOVIET BLOC POLICY." IT SUGGESTED THAT MR. KHRUSHCHEV HAD STRONG SUPPORT FOR HIS POLICIES FROM THE WORLD COMMUNIST MOVEMENT.