MOSCOW AGREEMENT ON BERLIN TALKS

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25589, 2 September 1948, Page 5

MOSCOW AGREEMENT ON BERLIN TALKS

* British Newspapers Give Reserved Welcome FOUR MILITARY GOVERNORS MEET (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Re V 1 ; 3 °t P ) LONDON, September 1. Most London newspapers give a very reserved welcome to the mee t u ‘K “» Be F l,n yesterday of the four Military Governors, who conferred for an hour in the first of a series of meetings to work out details for lifting the blockade and issuing the Soviet mark m Western Berlin under four-Power super? vision- F While accepting the meeting as “the first concrete outcome of the protracted Moscow negotiations,” the “Daily Telegraph” says that so far as the Western Powers are concerned, hJ lat v t 5 ey - are .„ ne B ot >ating with the Russians while the Berlin blockade is still in force. “Presumably,” it adds, “an understanding has been reached in Moscow that as soon as the currency question has been settled the blockade will be lifted. Even so, if words have any meaning, the negotiations now taking place in Berlin are under duress—which the Western Powers have insisted they would in no circumstances countenance.” “The Times” says: “It will be a delicate business to find adequate safeguards for Western interests once the Soviet mark is accepted as legal currency in Berlin, and the new discussions could give ample opportunity for the Russians to obstruct if they wished to do so. Yet the risks must be accepted in the faith that the Russians mean what they say and in the hope that the first step towards agreement may lead to others of greater importance.” The “Financial Times” is sceptical, and recalls Lenin’s famous saying: Give me the currency and I have the Revolution. It adds: Of course, the lifting of the Berlin blockade by the Russians will be welcome, but they will always be in a position to reimpose it—and may decide to do so at a moment far less favourable to the Western Powers than the present.”

The flags of the four occupation Powers were unfurled above the Allied Control Council building before the four governors met. for the first time since March 20. Military police from the four commands were on guard at the building. The first Russian objection came from Russian officers, who protested against the presence of Western newspaper photographers. An American officer ordered all the photographers to leave. After the meeting the American Governor (General Lucius C’ay) said that financial experts would meet today. • The American Military Government in Germany later announced that the four governors would meet again today. Sources close to the Soviet Military Administration said that the Berlin currency problem was the sole topic of yesterday’s meeting, and that the four governors had authority only to draw up recommendations and pass them on to their Governments. The British-licensed German news agency says that a difference of opinion arose between the Western military governors and Marshal Sokolovsky at the meeting. The Western representatives wished to institute four-Power control over the issue of the Eastern mark in Berlin. Marshal Sokolovsky said he understood that'

only a certain amount of supervision • was to be allowed and that only over ! m 2? ey alrea dy in circulation. The Berlin correspondent of the As--1 press says it is understood l that the Kremlin discussions have been referred to Berlin because the f monetary situation is complicated, and important principles could be compromised by diplomats unfamiliar with i technical details. It is thought that i with the Military Governors working to carefully-worded instructions, agreement within a week is possible. The American-licensed German news agency said yesterday that the Control Council would function again and - would meet to-day. The feritish United Press correspon- . dent in Berlin says that it is reliably reported that German railway officials have been told to stand by for September 5. Reuter’s diplomatic correspondent says that the Moscow negotiations will be suspended while the Military Governors meet, although it is authoritatively stated that the Moscow talks will last “some time longer.” The “Taegliche Rundschau,” the Russian Military Administration’s official organ, quoting a Tass dispatch from Moscow, says that differences between the United States and Britain over Berlin have delayed the publication of a four-Power communique on 1 the Moscow talks.