WESTERN BERLIN

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25934, 14 October 1949, Page 7

WESTERN BERLIN

ANNEXATION TO BONN REGIME HIGH COMMISSIONERS STUDY SCHEME (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 10 p.m.) LONDON. October 13. The Berlin correspondent of the British United Press reports that the United States High Commissioner to Germany (Mr John McCloy) said that the Allied High Commission was considering a scheme to annex Western Berlin to Western Germany as a sort of territorial possession. Mr McCloy indicated that he wished to Retain Berlin as a common meeting' ground for the four Great Powers. Yesterday a delegation headed by the chairman of the West German Assembly (Dr. Otto Suhr) called on the Allied High Commissioners and demanded that West Berlin be named the twelfth State in the Bonn Republic. A spokesman said that they wanted Western Berlin completely clear from the influence of the East German Government. The United States Government today declared that the East German Government was without validity. The United States Secretary of State (Mr Dean Acheson) told a press conference: "This new Government was created by the Soviet and a Communist fiat. It was created by the self-styled People’s Council, which itself has no basis in free popular elections.” Mr Acheson said that according to elections had been postponed until October, 1950. "The new Government and its Soviet masters are obviously afraid to risk the verdict of the people of the Soviet zone,” he added. Mr Acheson said that the United States would continue to support the Bonn Government in its efforts to restore a truly free and democratic Germany. "So long as an autocratic Communist regime remains fastened on East Germany’s people it would be meaningless to speak of a peace treaty, the end of the state of war, or the withdrawal of Soviet troops,” said Mr Acheson.