Russia Seeks New Conference On Future Of Germany

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27489, 25 October 1954, Page 11

Russia Seeks New Conference On Future Of Germany

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 8.30 p.m.) MOSCOW, October 23. Russia today proposed a new Four-Power Conference to be held next month to discuss reunifying East and West Germany with free all-German elections and the immediate withdrawal of all Occupation troops. The Note was handed to the British, French and United States Ambassadors in Moscow at the same time as the agreements granting West Germany sovereignty and the right to rearm were being signed in Paris.

The Four-Power Conference, said the Note, should discuss calling an All Europe meeting on collective security and asked whether the Western Powers would allow the Ambassadors in Vienna to meet the Soviet Ambassador to discuss the Austrian State Treaty.

The Soviet Foreign Minister (Mr Molotov) called Sir William Hay ter (Britain), Mr Charles Eohlen (United States), and Mr Louis Joxe (France) to his office separately to receive the Note.

It was a reply to the Western Note of September 10 accepting the previous Soviet proposals for a FourPower conference on condition that the Russians agreed to holding free all-German elections and concluding the Austrian State treaty. The Soviet Union was ‘‘guided by the desire to facilitate conditions for drawing together both halves of Germany and the solution of the problem of her national reunification,” the Russian reply said. It therefore proposed the withdrawal of Occupation troops from East and West Germany “without any delay,” and said this “would contribute towards a further reduction of international tension and towards the strengthening of peace in Europe.” Agreement must also be reached on the number, location and armament of all kinds of German police in both parts of Germany, it said. This would “put an end to any danger, in the rearmament of either East or West Germany.” The Note suggested that the Ambassadors of the Big Four Powers should meet in Vienna to discuss “questions concerning a conclusion of the Austrian State treaty.” Proposed Agenda It put forward this agenda for the proposed conference to be held in November:— (1) The re-establishment of German unity on a peace-loving, democratic basis, including the question of free all-German elections. (2) The withdrawal of Occupation forces from West and East Germany. (3) The question of calling an AllEuropean conference to examine the formation of a system of collective security in Europe. The Note attacked the European Defence Community and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation and accused the Western Powers of following a policy of dividing Europe into military groups. “The Western Powers carry upon themselves the responsibility for the results of such a policy, which is incompatible with the interest of security in Europe,” it said. The reunification of Germany, said the Note, was “the most important and urgent task” for reducing tension, and its solution “cannot be delayed.” Elections in Germany

Referring to the need for free allGerman elections, the Note said the Soviet Government “expresses willingness” to examine anew the proposals made by the Western Powers at the Berlin conference early this year. The plans for the creation of the European Defence Community had been primarily responsible for preventing a solution of this problem, it said. But the rejection of E.D.C. by the French National Assembly “opened a possibility for the drawing together of the positions of the Four Powers on the question of German reunification and the holding of all-German elections.” “The Soviet Government considers that the possibilities exist for the achievement of an agreement between the Powers on this question,” tfce Note added.

Criticising the London and Paris conferences, it declared: “The London decisions open the way for the re-estab-lishment of German militarism. After that the hands of the West German militarists and revenge-seekers will.be untied to conduct their aggressive policy in Europe. West Germany will thus become a dangerous lever of new aggression in Europe.” Inclusion of Britain Noting the inclusion of Britain in the new grouping of States, the Note went on: “It would be a deception of general opinion to assert that the London plan for the creation of. a new military grouping corresponds more to the interests of the security of European peoples than the plan for creating E.D.C., which has collapsed.” The inclusion of Western Germany in N.A.T.O. “gives German militarists the opportunity to exert a direct influence towards further increasing the aggressive character of the North Atlantic grouping,” the Note declared.