"Folly" Cries K

The folly of the West may well cost mankind dearly, claims Mr Khrushchev.

He was answering questions put to him by the editors of London's Dally Mail.

Question: How do you see the consequences of the Carlbbran crisis on the development of International relations?

Reply: I am convinced that this crisis will leave a very deep imprint In International relations. People started looking at questions of war and peace in a new way.

If mankind is ushering in 1963 in a peaceful atmosphere, and not amidst ruins, it is indebted for this primarily to the policy of reason which triumphed when the crisis was at Its height. This crisis posed before states In a more acute form than hitherto the crucial question of whether there Is to be peaceful coexistence of states with different social systems or whether the world is to be plunged into the abyss of war as a result of insane attempts to impose the will of a handful of monopolies upon a freedom-loving, though small nation—In this case heroic Cuba.

Here the danger was removed by way of compromise, according to the principle of "concession," and not, as suggested by certain people in the West, by the "sword-against-sword" principle.

There were declarations during the days of the Caribbean crisis that now it was necessary to embark courageously upon a constructive review of unsettled International problems and to untie the knots of dangerous tensions which could cause new crises. We agree with this. A more durable and reliable foundation should be built for peaceful coexistence which would necessarily be lasting. Of course, there are ideological contradictions between us.

But let the question of which social order Is better and whose system is more viable be solved in peaceful economic competition, with respect for the sovereign rights of all nations.

The other alternative, which is thermonuclear war, must be ruled out.

Unfortunately, there still are people in the West who having hardly got over the shock caused by the Caribbean crisis have once again started to preach the "cold war" and the "positions of strength" policy.

The folly of these people may well cost mankind dearly, and in the first instance it may affect those nations which allow them to speak on their behalf.