WEST WILL RETAIN RIGHTS IN BERLIN

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29909, 24 August 1962, Page 11

WEST WILL RETAIN RIGHTS IN BERLIN

Reply To Action By Russia

The United States will not allow Russia’s withdrawal of her Berlin commandant to impair Western rights in the divided city.

Formal notice to this effect is expected to be issued by the Western allies today after day-long strategy consultations set off in Washington yesterday by the Soviet move. President Kennedy said the central theme of the Western response will be that “the Soviet action cannot unilaterally affect our rights.”

(U2. Press Assn.—Copyright)

WASHINGTON, August 23.

A State Department spokesman said: “Regardless of how they organise themelves administratively, we continue to hold the Soviet Union responsible for carrying out its obligations in Berlin under existing quadripartite agreements. "The Western commandants will continue to exercise their responsibilities and rights in Berlin. “The Soviet move appears to be an attempt by the Russians to absolve themselves from the responsibility for Communist actions in Berlin, which have increased tensions in the city.” the spokesman said.

Ambassadorial representatives of the United States. Britain, France and West Germany conferred at the State Department in morning and afternoon sessions to work out a Western response to the Soviet action. Effect of Action United States officials said the Soviet act was another move in the long Communist campaign to turn East Berlin over to the Communist East German regime—which the West does not recognise —and to squeeze Western garrisons out of West Berlin, the Associated Press said, Beyond the removal of one means for settling Berlin disputes on the scene, what other difficulties may be posed by the Russian action remains a matter of debate. Some United States authorities said the full impact of the Russian move could be known only after it was seen how Russia carried it out in practice.

The office of Berlin commandant was established after the war. when the city was divided into four sectors under fobr-Power control. Berlin was a separate area from the rest of Germany, which was divided in 1945 into four occupation zones, each with its commandant. The Western zones later became West Germany, and the Soviet zone of Germany, East Germany. East Germany claims the former Soviet sector of Berlin is part of East Germany and that the fourPower status no longer exists British Reaction

A British Foreign Office spokesmen said: “Western rights in Berlin including access rights are in no way affected, nor is the quadripartite status of the city. “We regret the Soviet authorities should have broken this link since it has in the past helped to reduce tension in the city, a city which remains just as important to us all. “The essential thing is that the Soviet authorities should continue to carry out their responsibilities towards us.

body can rid himself of his obligations by unilateral acts. “It is significant that the Soviet Union dissolves the commandatuira at a moment when the Western side emphatically demands that the four commandants come together at one table to make an end to the bloodshed at the Berlin wall.” Western diplomats in Bonn said there was little immediate practical significance in the Soviet abolition of its East Berlin garrison command. “Everythintg will depend on whether it is to be followed by further moves affecting the rights of the Western allies," a British diplomat said. The three Western military commandants have been unable to get in touch with the man they regard as their opposite number in East Berlin, Major-General I. A. Soloviev, since May. He is at present “on leave.” The Soviet move follows the renewed call by Mr Khrushchev on Saturday for the withdrawal of troops belonging to N.A.T.O. countries from West Berlin. Mr Khrushchev also repeated that the Soviet Union would sign a separate peace treaty with East Germany if there was no agreement with the West.

“They have now established new machinery. It remains to be seen how it works out in practice. We for our part remain resolved to maintain our rights.” “Illegal Act”

Western observers in Moscow said that apart from the inconvenience to Western commandants in Berlin, the step was designed to enhance the status of the East German authorities in Berlin.

In Bonn, a West German Government spokesman described the Soviet act as “illegal and arbitrary,” and “a further violation of the four-Power status.”

The spokesmen said: “No-