Efforts At Mediation In Berlin Dispute

Greymouth Evening Star, 9 October 1948, Page 6

Efforts At Mediation In Berlin Dispute

LONDON, October 8.

According to the Paris correspondent of the Associated Press, Argentine sources said they were confident that the Berlin crisis would soon be solved through the efforts of neutral members of the Security Council under the chairmanship of Mr Juan Bramuglia, the Argentine Foreign Minister. “It is known that Mr Bramuglia had several interviews with the Western Powers’ representatives before convoking the small Powers’ delegates,” says the correspondent. “He is expected to interviw Mr Vyshinsky today, and there is confidence that the Russians will agree to a basis for,negotiations.”

“The Russian blockade of Berlin is a threat to world peace if ever there was one, short of shooting cannon,” said the United States Secretary of State (General Marshall) speaking informally at the American Club in Paris. He said .the United States would resist such tactics and that the European Recovery Programme was part of that resistance. “We can maintain Berlin indefinitely by the air lift, and except for a few short months in the winter we can maintain it pretty well,” said the American Military Governor (General Lucius Clay), discussing Berlin’s winter prospects. General Clay emphasised that the occupying Powers were paying the entire cost of the air lift. He estimated the present total daily air lift at more than 5000 tons of supplies.

Three Courses Open

British observers in Paris believe that the adjournment of the Security Council to consider the Western Powers’ case against Russia over Berlin is 'likely to last for several days, says the special correspondent of the New Zealand Press Association in London. Some such interval is plainly needed/ it is considered, to enable the smaller Powers fully to assimilate the reports, documents and statements laid before them. An even more cogent reason, however, is that the Security Council is confronted by a most difficult problem, and it will require some time to make up its mind how to deal with it. It is generally felt that three courses are open to the Council. It can carry a resolution calling upon Russia to raise the blockade, it can appoint mediators to attempt to settle the dispute, or it can refer the whole .matter Io the General Assembly. It is taken for granted that if the Council endeavours to adopt the first course and carry a resolution calling upon the Russians to raise the blockade, Mr Vyshinsky will immediately veto it. This means that the Council must either find some effective means of mediation or admit its own impotence by referring the matter to the General Assembly.

Mediation Difficult

It is generally agreed that a blunt condemnation of the Soviet policy will take the matter no further and merely increase the general difficulties. On the other hand, the division between

East and West is so clearly marked that mediation with any real prospects of success will also be difficult. The Manchester Guardian, in a leading article, says that so long as the Western Powers have reason to believe that the Russians are trying to annex Berlin and are using political pressure to achieve this end, there is very little prospect of a settlement. It is not considered likely that the Security Council will meet, at the earliest, before Saturday, and that even if it meets then it may well adjourn again until next week.