GERMAN LEVEL OF INDUSTRY

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25270, 23 August 1947, Page 9

GERMAN LEVEL OF INDUSTRY

THREE POWER TALKS IN LONDON

PROTEST LODGED BY RUSSIA (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 7 P.m.) LONDON, August 21. The Foreign Office said to-day that it had received a Russian protest about the tripartite talks which will begin in London to-morrow on the German level of industry. Russia said that the four occupation Powers should discuss this subject. Britain had indicated her intention to proceed with the talks, which do not concern Germany as a whole. Russia contended that the talks, if held without her participation, would contravene the Potsdam Agreement. In Berlin to-day, the Military Governor of the United States zone of Germany (Lieutenant-General Lucius Clay) said that any Russian protest against raising the level of industry in western Germany would be without foundation, because the Russians had declined to treat Germany as an economic unit, as provided in the Potsdam Agreement. ‘‘We are not attempting to determine the level of industry for a unified Germany, but only for our two zones,” he added. The Deputy-Military Governor of the British zone (Lieutenant-General Sir Brian Robertson) and General Clay later left for London to advise the British and American delegations in the talks.