Copy Reference Poland's latest memorandum elaborating its previous proposal for an atom-free zone in central Europe was described by a Renmin Ribao commentator on February 19 as a positive step towards realization of such a plan.
"The memorandum has answered all well-intentioned queries and refuted all the vicious distortions of the proposal. It has shown peace-loving people everywhere that establishment of such a zone in central Europe is feasible and important to world peace."
"Two world wars started in this area," the commentator recalled, "and now West Germany has again become a potential hotbed of war, with the United States bent on reviving German militarism as a tool against the Soviet Union and other socialist countries. Adoption of the Polish plan will radically change this situation and improve the international climate by promoting a solution of the disarmament question and other disputed issues. Now a danger spot, central Europe will be turned into an area of peace."
The Beijing Ribao (Peking Daily) of February 22 dwelt on the larger implications of the Polish plan. "The establishment of a denuclearized zone in central Europe will set a good precedent. The Soviet proposal for an atom-free Middle East and that of Sanzo Nozaka, the Japanese Communist leader, for an atom-free Asia have already been warmly received by the Arab and other Asian peoples. The appearance of such atom-free zones in all parts of the world will certainly make it harder for the United States to launch atomic war."