Soviet Ready To Talk On Berlin Restrictions, But Refuses Changes

Greymouth Evening Star, 5 April 1948, Page 5

Soviet Ready To Talk On Berlin Restrictions, But Refuses Changes

(Recd. 11.30 a.m.) LONDON, April 4. Field-Marshal Viscount Montgomery and lhe Russian Military Governor of Berlin, Marshal Sokolovsky, are expected to dine together in Berlin on Tuesday. Marshal Sokolovsky has accepted an invitation to dine with the British Military Governor, General Sir Brian Robertson. i ■ Field-Marshal Montgomery declined a statement, but pointed to his grey suit, laughed and said: lam on holiday. Just look at my clothes.” Earlier’it was reported that the Russians had officially notified the American authorities in Berlin that they are willing to hold a meeting for discussions to clarify their traffic restrictions. The Russian offer to discuss with the Americans the Berlin traffic restrictions was-made by the Soviet Deputy Military Lieutenant-General Dratvin, who said there was no possibility of changing the existing regulations. General Dratvin asserted that shady individuals and criminals had used the lack of' traffic control lor illegal operations and speculations in the Soviet zone. The American Chief of Staff, Brigadier Gailey, replying, said: “We do not permit shady individuals to use our military trains.” The Americans would be glad to enter discussions, but could not agree to Russians’ entry into American military trains in the Soviet zone.

The first three British buses to ? cross the Soviet zone to Berlin since | the Russians clamped down the con- | trols were delayed an hour at the •; Russian check point at Helmstedt. The buses’ passengers included women and children. A Russian officer demanded entry to the buses with six soldiers to check | the passes. J A British officer said he could allow : only one Russian in the bus at a ■ time ■ The Russian officer said he wanted i somebody to “protect his rear” in the buses. The British officer telephoned Berlin and then a Russian soldier on the step of the bus while the Russian officer inspected the passes. : The Russian announcement ot, willingness to discuss the traffic restrictions with Western Powers was, the first Russian move to renew top-: level talks with the Americans since the Rusians walked out of the Conrtlo Council on March 20, says the Associated Press Berlin correspondent. The Russians made the same offer to the British. . . j The Russians made the discussionoffer in reply to the American Note, rejecting the Soviet restrictions. > A United States military spokes-; man said the Russian reply “reaffirms ■ the Soviet position, but expresses the willingness of the Soviet administra-. tion to clarify certain details con- | cerning the movement of strictly] military freight personnel of the, American Government.” I The Russian Note mentioned no date for the discussion. The British control point at Helmstedt on the Anglo-Russian zonal border reported that British drivers, bearing the new passes required by the Russians were passing through to

Berlin without difficulty. The United States Army has called off the air freight shuttle service to Berlin. The Associated Press Frankfurt correspondent says this apparently reflects General Clay’s confidence in his ability to supply food by rail.