SIGN; POLICE STOP MOTORIST AT CHECKPOINT; LORRIES CHECKED; NEWSMEN; NEWSMAN OUT OF POLICE CAR AND SHAKES HANDS; CAMERA ON TABLE; NEWSMAN WRITES; HELICOPTER; WATER TOWER; RUSSIAN WATCH TOWER.




Initials GHB/V/BOB/PF



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Background: THE CRUCIAL TALKS BETWEEN RUSSIAN AND CZECHOSLOVAK LEADERS BEGAN IN THE BORDER TOWN OF CIERNA-NAD-TISOU YESTERDAY (MONDAY) UNDER A STRICT SECURITY VEIL. NEWSMEN FROM BOTH EAST AND WEST WERE KEPT SOME DISTANCE FROM THE ACTUAL VENUE OF THE TALKS - AN OLD CINEMA.

THE RAILSIDE BORDER AREA OF THE SMALL COMMUNITY - CHOSEN FOR TOP LEVEL TALKS ON CZECHOSLOVAKIA'S FUTURE - WAS RINGED BY BLUE-UNIFORMED POLICE WITH INSTRUCTION TO KEEP STRANGERS OUT.

ONE NEWSMAN WHO MANAGED TO PENETRATE THE SECURITY CORDON WAS GENTLY, BUT FIRMLY, EJECTED AND BROUGHT BACK TO JOIN HIS COLLEAGUES. BUT THERE WAS NO ILL-FEELING. HE SHOOK HANDS WITH THE POLICE WHO ESCORTED HIM BACK FROM THE FORBIDDEN AREA.

TALKS WERE RESUMED THIS MORNING AFTER A LATE-NIGHT SESSION. THE SOVIET DELEGATION - COMPRISING THE FULL POLITBURO - SPENT THE NIGHT ON RUSSIAN SOIL. THIS MORNING THEIR HUGE OLIVE-GREY TRAIN WITH ITS MANY COACHES FOR SUPPORTING STAFF AND COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALISTS ROLLED INTO CIERNA STATION 10 MINUTES BEFORE THE RESUMPTION OF TALKS.

COMMUNIST SOURCES IN THE NEARBY STEEL TOWN OF KOSICE SAID THE ATMOSPHERE AT THE TALKS WAS AMICABLE AND REPORTS FROM CZECHOSLOVAKIA INDICATED THAT A MOOD OF DEFINITE OPTIMISM WAS NOTICEABLE IN PRAGUE. A COMMUNIQUE ON THE TALKS WAS EXPECTED TO BE ISSUED BY PRAGUE RADIO TONIGHT AND TOMORROW.