SOVIET ARMY MISSIONS

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29153, 14 March 1960, Page 11

SOVIET ARMY MISSIONS

West Restricts Travel

BONN, March 12.

The United States and Britain today followed France in restricting travel by Soviet military missions in West Germany because the Russians have issued “unacceptable” passes to Allied missions in East Germany The United States Army European headquarters clamped down on travel by the Soviet mission at Frankfurt. The British, restricted the Russians to the area of Herford and Buende in Westphalia. Britain and the United States took action because it did not appear that' a reply was forthcoming to their February 19 protests to the Russians over the East German passes issue. French Army headquarters in Baden-Baden restricted Soviet movements early in February. The dispute over passes for members of the British, American. and French missions stationed at Potsdam in East Germany flared up in January. The old passes authorised Allied troops to travel in “the Soviet zone of Germany.” New passes issued on January 30 changed this to “the German Democratic Republic.”

The three Allies do not recognise the East German regime and decline to deal with it. They said the new passes were unacceptable.

Since the new passes were issued, members of Allied military missions in East Germany have restricted their travel to "administrative” or “supply" trips. According to Allied sources in West Berlin, some of these trips have been carried out with ‘‘guest passes” issued by the Russians.