GOVERNMENT OF GERMANY

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 68, Issue 139, 24 March 1948, Page 5

GOVERNMENT OF GERMANY

Russian Attitude to Four-Power Rule “STILL NO CLEAR INDICATION’’ (N.Z.P.A.—Copyright). LONDON, March 23. “There is still no clear indication whether the Russians, aftef their withdrawal on Saturday from the Allied Control Council, regard four-Power government of Germany as at an end,” says the Berlin correspondent of “The Times.” “In British and American circles the gravity of the Russian step is admitted. It is also admitted that if the Russians have decided to disregard the juridical .foundation of. the fourPower occupation of Berlin the Western Powers might be placed in a difficult position. “As is their custom, thg Russians are keeping their own counsel, but Germans in touch with Soviet headquarters were suggesting last night that if the Russians had intended a complete denunciation of quadripartite co-operation their decision would have been announced, not in Berlin by the Russian military administration, but in Moscow in formal Notes to the Western Powers.

“But no matter what the final meaning of Marshal Sokolovsky’s withdrawal from the Control Council may prove to be, the British and American authorities have no intention of leaving Berlin. A Western withdrawal would be a blow both to Allied prestige and German morale, for now more than ever Berlin has become for Germans in all parts of Germany a symbol of national unity. “It is realised that the Russians can create many difficulties. The Russian sector of Berlin, for instance, might be incorporated in the Russian zone, and a constant political agitation could be used to influence the population of the Western sectors. These and other difficulties may not arise, but if they do they will be faced.”

DATE FOR NEXT MEETING BRITISH AND U.S. DEMAND (Rec. 10.25 n.m.) LONDON, March 23. Britain has joined the United States in demanding that the Russians set a date for the next meeting of the Allied Control Council before taking up work of the lesser Four Power committees, says the Berlin correspondent of the Associated Press. The military Governor of the British zone. General Sir Brian, Robertson, announced that British representatives would not attend a meeting of the Four Power committees and directorates until the United Control Council met to consider the position created by the council meeting of March 20, when the Russians walked out of the council meeting. The American Military Governor, General Lucius Clay, issued a similar statement.

The Russians earlier called on the four Allied sub-corqmittees to meet later this week.

A high American official said: “We are tired of being pushed around.” A Washington message says that the White House announced to-day that the United States army will continue Government, in the American zone of Germany indefinitely. Plans had been made for the State Department to take over the Government about June.

Announcing the new decision, the White House said it had been decided that it would he “inadvisable to make, changes in United States present administrative arrangement for Germany,”