Bonn’s Doubts On Access Outlined

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29830, 24 May 1962, Page 13

Bonn’s Doubts On Access Outlined

(N .Z.P.A.-Reut er—Copyright) BONN, May 22. West Germany set out in a memorandum handed over yesterday her reservations about the United States idea of an international authority to ensure Western access to Berlin.

The Foreign Minister (Dr. Gerhard Schroeder) told journalists that it also expressed reservation on two other points which the Americans planned to discuss with the Russians. These were the problem of European borders and the question of halting the spread of nuclear weapons.

But Dr. Schroeder stressed West German support for the United States "probe” of Soviet intentions over Berlin to continue. The memorandum was not published but seemed likely in the main to restate known Bonn views.

Dr Schroeder told questioners that road and air access to Berlin—llo miles inside Communist East Ger-

many—must be free and on a clearly-agreed basis. His Government opposed giving the East German regime a leading role in any international authority which would control access but would cooperate on a "technical” level, he said. Alarm Aroused

The United States concept of a 13-nation authority, on which East Germany could be represented, to control access to Berlin caused alarm in Bonn when the Americans”planned to sound out Moscow on it.

The memorandum was handed to the United States Ambassador (Mr Dowling* by Dr. Karl Carstens, States Secretary in the Foreign Ministry.