“Another Step To Undermine West”

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

“Another Step To Undermine West”

•A' Z.P. A.-Reuter—Copy right)

LONDON, August 23. “The Times” today interpreted the Russian decision to abolish its commandant’s office in Berlin as another step in the “long campaign to undermine” the position of die Western Powers in the city.

“The Russians are justifiably uneasy about their commitment to hand over control powers to the East Germans, but they cannot afford to let the West believe that they will wait indefinitely,” the newspaper said in an editorial.

“They must therefore advance towards the treaty • with East Germany > without arriving at it too quickly. “But sooner or later they will have to decide whether their interests are served best by forcing a crisis or by going on attempting to nibble away at the confidence of the city.” it added. “The West’s reaction to all this must be to make unmistakably clear the danger of signing a treaty which would threaten access to Berlin or divest Russia of her responsibilities ” Crisis "Little Nearer”

The “Guardian" accused the Russians of having purposely brought a situation of crisis a little nearer.

“Formally the abolition of the Soviet commandant’s office in Berlin should not make much difference to the Western Powers.” the newspaper said editorially “Yesterday's announcement is. all the same, a step towards the day when the Russians will hand over to the East German Government. It is a sharp little reminder of what is to come

“It warns the Western Powers that sooner or later—with the emphasis now on sooner—the peace treaty with East Germany will be signed

“Then the Western Powers will have tn deal with the East German Government over access to Berlin and other matters, whether they like it or not.

“The disquieting aspect of yesterday’s events is that the Russians have purposely brought the crisis a little nearer,” the “Guardian” added.