West’s Presence In Berlin “Unbearable”

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28927, 22 June 1959, Page 11

West’s Presence In Berlin “Unbearable”

(Rec. 10 p.m.) BERLIN, June 20. The Soviet Union and East Germany today said they were “determined to take all necessary measures for the most speedy „ removal of the abnormal situation in West Berlin.”

They made their declaration in a joint communique issued aftei* the visit to Russia of an East German Government delegation. They described the situation in West Berlin as “unbearable.

The communique said the two Governments “stress the great importance they attach to a summit conference for the peaceful settlement of the most pressing international problems, including the peace treaty with Germany and the West Berlin question.” The communique repeated Soviet-East German proposals tabled at the Geneva conference and said the two delegations regretted that the Western Powers had up to now not been ready to discuss them factually. It said the question of the perioh for a transitional status for West Berlin while a peace treaty vas prepared was not a matter of principle. "If the Western Powers show an honest desire to reach agreement, it would not be difficult to reach agreement on periods of time,” it said. “The (East) German Democratic Republic and the Soviet Union will not be ready to sanction the maintenance of the occupation regime in West Berlin ioi an unlimited period.” it said “West Berlin, w’hich lies on the territory of the German Democratic Republic, has become a dangerous source of conflict in Europe and a centre of actions intended to divert and disturb, and of hostile propaganda against the German Democratic Republic and other countries of the Socialist camp,” the communique said.

“The Governments of both States decisively reject the attempts of the Western Powers to extend the occupation regime to the whole of Berlin instead of working for a settlement of this question, which has long been ripe.” it said.

The communique said that the Soviet and East German Communist Parties “regard it as necessary also in the future to carry on an uncompromising struggle against revisionism in all forms At the same time they will struggle with determination against all sectarianism and dogmatism.”

The communique appealed to the governments of all Baltic countries to make the Baltic “a sea of peace” free of atomic and rocket weapons and foreign military bases. It said the Soviet Union supported the East German proposal for a non-aggression pact of Baltic States.

Both delegations had condemned N.A.T.O. moves to set up rocket and atomic bases in Italy and Greece, and emphasised that among

the most urgent questions was the cessation of atomic and hydrogen bomb tests.

The communique accused Dr. Konrad Adenauer of “trying to bring the political situation in Germany to a crisis and to sow mistrust bet'-'een the European States.” Russia and East Germany agreed that the next steps for easing tension and ending the cold war were the conclusion of an East-West German non-aggres sion pact and renunciation by both Germanys of production or possession of nuclear weapons. Speaking to the East German leaders before their departure from Moscow airport, Mr Khrushchev said that if the Foreign Ministers failed to agree, a summit meeting would become even more essential and he would go with pleasure “more than once” to meet the Western leaders. Mi Khrushchev said that if Russia had to sign a separate peace treaty with East Germany, it would be an illusion for the West to believe that their rights of communication with Berlin would remain.