VIEWS OF WORLD PRESS

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27279, 20 February 1954, Page 7

VIEWS OF WORLD PRESS

“Germany Will Have To Remain Divided”

®ec. 8 p.m.) LONDON, February 19. Reactions to the Big Four conference in Berlin have been varied, according to the political opinion of commentators. The Western press generally agrees that Germany will have to remain divided at least for some years to come. The Communist press, on the other hand, blames the West and more particularly the United States, for the failure of the talks to reach agreement on such matters as the unification of Germany and the Austrian Peace Treaty. Although reconciled to the fact that the conference made no real progress on the German question British newspapers did not regard the conference as having been entirely futile. “The Times” said that there can now be no doubt that at the moment East and West are resigned to Germany remaining divided. The sole fruit of the Berlin conference was the promise of further negotiations in April, . with Communist China present, on Korea and IndoChina, “The Times” said.

The “Yorkshire Post” argued that the best that could be hoped for now was that the partition of Germany would be accepted as the basis of

statesmanship for some years to come. Attempts to upset the existing position could only do harm, the newspaper declared. The “Daily Herald” said that the solitary result of th< meeting at least nourished hope. pie Communist “Daily Worker” said the conference showed that there were considerable differences still existing between the Soviet Union and the Western Powers. “Tt also showed, however, that none of these differences was sufficiently acute to justify a war, and that a compromise would necessitate a long period yjssible perfectly West German circles said that Mr Molotov had cleared the air in west German politics and many who had hitherto wavered about the Tittle Europe” policy of Dr. Adenauer would now realise that there was virtually nothing the Germans could do to accelerate the reunion of their country. Bitterness in Austria Austrian radio stations announced the “failure of the Big Four conference” last night, cancelled their scheduled programmes and broadcast classical music. Dr. Julius Raab, the Chancellor, said in a radio broadcast: “Justice has to yield to might, but Austria will not—repeat not.” 'Hie Prague Radio said that attempts to torpedo the conference had failed, thanks mainly to the Soviet delegation’s “amazing patience and unceasing initiative.’ The Soviet delegation was not to be blamed for the fact that a whole series of constructive proposals were not accepted by the Westrepresentatives, the radio added. Tass, the Soviet news agency, issued gg report-commentary on the final mg. It dealt at length with Mr tov s statement on the Austrian Tlhe United States delegation has gown that in reality the United not want to conclude a B tv Treaty with Austria,” said Tass. quarters in London said the conference decisions to disKorea, Indo-China, and atomic tosarmament indicated that the Big I°° Powers wished to avoid a hot Ej but had failed to end the cold