ALLIES BLAMED

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 68, Issue 141, 27 March 1948, Page 5

ALLIES BLAMED

Control Council Deadlock RUSSIAN ALLEGATIONS i IN.Z.P. A.—Copyright). LONDON, March 26. Lieutenant-General G. S. LukJantschenko, Chief of Staff of the Soviet Military Administration in Germany, in a statement circulated last night by the Russian-con-trolled German News Agency, said Russia favoured four-Power control of Germany. She wished to retain the Control Council to carry out the resolutions of the Potsdam Conference, but was completely opposed to the Council be ing used as a screen by the British, Americans and French to disguise their splitting tactics in the Western Zones. He added that the Western occupation Powers were wholly responsible for the present deadlock over fourPower rule. * The Berlin correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph” says American sources -state that, if Marshall Sokolovsky refuses to call a meeting of file Allied Control Council for March '3O and abstains from attending the meeting which will then be called by the American Military Governor (General Lucius Clay) for April 10, the military governors of the Western Powers will refer the whole question of the deadlock on the four Power control to their Governments. The latter would then make a final attempt to obtain Russian co-operation, failing which they would proceed on an entirely tripartite basis.

The Secretary of State (Mr G. C. Marshall) -said in Washington yesterday that the United States Is determined to stay in Berlin in spite of the Soviet efforts to disrupt the four Power conrol there.

“In accordance with the international agreement binding on all four control Powers, the United States intends to cpntinue to fulfil its responsibilities as a member of the Control Council and as a joint occupant of the city of Berlin,” he added.

General Clay said in Berlin that lie “was not the least bit apprehensive about the military situation in Germany as the result of the recent tension in Berlin.” He added that he had no fears that the Rusians would close the borders of eastern Germany or the highways for supplies from the British and American zones in Berlin. The deadlock between Russia and the western Allies in Berlin over the four Power rule of Germany was a political, not a military.situation. He predicted that it- would be clarified soon, but said that Western Powers would not discuss in the Control Council the recommendations of the London threePower Conference until the respective Governments acted on them. ' General Clay said earlier that the Russians must make the next move if the four-Power Government in Germany is not to collapse completely. “We have a right to know their intentions,” he claimed.. “It is» up to them to call another meeting of the Control Council.”

The next’ meeting would normally be held,on March 30. The Russians retain the chairmanship for the whole of March. ,