Exploratory Talks— WILL RUSSIA LIFT BERLIN BLOCKADE?

Greymouth Evening Star, 27 April 1949, Page 5

Exploratory Talks— WILL RUSSIA LIFT BERLIN BLOCKADE?

(Recd. 10.5 a.m.) WASHINGTON, April 26. The State Department said today that the “way appears to be clear for the lifting of the Berlin blockade and a meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers,” if the TasS news agency reports on the current position of the Soviet Government are accurate. The department said that no final conclusion could be reached until further exchanges of view with Mr Malik, the Soviet representative on the United Nations.

The State Department statement followed a discussion between President Truman and Dr Phillip* Jessup, roving ambassador for international negotiations, on proposals which may lead to the lifting of the blockade. The department outlined the history of the “peace feelers” which were reported last night by Tass. The department said the latest word on the position of the United States,.Britain and France would be conveyed to Mr Malik. The statement said that Dr Jessup first approached Mr Malik on February 15 to question him regarding the interview. granted by Mr Stalin on January 30, in which Mr Stalin made no mention of the Berlin currency question, which “had hitherto been ,the announced reason for the Berlin blockade.” “Not Accidental”

Dr Jessup asked Mr Malik whether the omission was intentional. A month latex* Mr Malik informed Dr Jessup that the omission was “not accidental.” On March 21, Mr Malik told Dr Jessup that, if the date for a Foreign Ministers’ meeting could be set, the blockade would be lifted in advance, if the Allied counterblockade was also lifted. The United States then discussed the position with the Foreign Ministers of Britain and France, who were in Washington at the time, and an agreed position was reached among them, following which, on April 5, a statement was read by Dr Jessup to Mr Malik outlining this position. On April 10, Mr Malik again asked Dr Jessup to call on him and again stated the position of the Soviet Government, from which it still appeared that certain points required clarification. This was followed by a further meeting between the threWestern Governments and a more detailed formulation of their position, which will be conveyed to Mr Malik, Western German State Authoritative sources in Washington said it had been made clear to Mr Malik that there could be no question of the Western Powers holding up the progress of the formation of a Western German Government as a result of these developments and the Western Powers would go ahead with all speed on these plans. ■ It is also emphasised in official circles that the conversations between Mr Malik and Dr Jessup have been purely exploratory and not negotiations in any sense of the word. No final positions have been taken up by either side and no agreements have been reached.

The State Department also made it clear that its statement today was based on press versions of the Tass Agency report and that they have not yet received even the text of the Tass report. In London, the British Foreign Office confirmed the Western view that “in no circumstances would the holding of any meeting of the. Council of Foreign Ministers be allowed with or deflect the three Governments from their plans to establish a German Government in Western Germany. - “Other Moves”

A Foreign Office spokesman said •the Soviet-American exploratory contacts were continuing and there was “no reason to doubt that there

would be other moves.” The French Foreign- Minister, M. Schuman, said the West . would not alter the Western' German statute, “unless the four Powers agreed on something different.” . -■ ■ 1 Jn Berlin today German sources said that high Soviet officials were confident that the blockade , and Allied counter-blockade would be lifted in the very near future. German politicians, who claim to be in close touch with . the Soviet military administration, said that an order was received from Moscow at Soviet headquarters at Karlshorst today that, all technical' preparations for the lifting of the blockade should be made immediately.

RUSSIAN MOVE TO FORM STATE FOR EAST GERMANY

(Rec. 2 p.m.) BERLIN, April 26. Reliable reports in Berlin say that Russia has promised to German Communist leaders -a peace treaty for Eastern Germany and the cancellation of all reparations claims once an East German State is formed, says the British United Press correspondent.. This would be Russia’s answer to the formation of a separate West German State, which is now imminent. . The promise of a peace treaty and the cancellation of reparations would be a big incentive to the German political leaders in the Russian zone to set about the task of forming a similar State in the East without delay. It would also gain considerable support as Russia’s demand for £2,500,000,000 in reparations was one of the severest penalties levied in Germany. Meanwhile, says the Associated Press correspondent,' the Military Government officials of the three Western Powers are drafting an “occupation statute” for Berlin. Brigadier-General Frank Howley, United States sector commandant, said that much of the spadework on the statute was completed. The statute will define the rights of the German City Government and which prerogafives the allies will retain. Many of the principles of the statute for Western Germany will be incorporated in. the city charter.

MOSCOW VERSION OF “PEACE FEELER" TALKS

LONDON, April 26. The Moscow radio today broadcast a Tass Agency announcement denying reports of a possible lifting of the Berlin blockade. The announcement said that Russia had suggested that the blockade might be lifted if the Western Powers would name a date for a meeting oi the Foreign Ministers’ Council. The vital question of a single currency for Berlin would be left to discussion at that meeting, which would also deal with other German problems. Tass said: “On March 15 the United States United Nations representative, Dr Jessup, requested the Soviet’s Security Council representative, Mr Jacob Malik, to explain .why no mention was made of a single currency for Berlin in Mr Stalin s reply to the American correpondent, Kingsbury Smith, dealing with the Berlin problem, where mention is made of the lifting of restrictions. Mr Malik told Dr Jessup that .the absence of any mention of currency was not accidental, and the'question of a currency for Berlin could be discussed at a session of the Foreign Ministers’ Council during on examination of the question of Germany. “Dr Jessup asked Mr Malik to explain whether the existing restriciions on communications could be lifted before a meeting of the Foreign Ministers’ Council. . “On March 21 Mr Malik said that if agreement were reached about a date when the Foreign Ministers Council would meet the above-men-tioned recoprocal restrictions on communications and trade could be lifted before the Foreign Ministers Council started its work. So far as a single currency for Berlin was concerned, this question could be discussed at the session of the Foreign Ministers Council, together with other questions bearing on Germany. “According to the information at the disposal Tass, Mr Malik s last talk with Dr. Jessup on the questions touched upon took place on Apr 10.”