Russia Refects W. Plan For Germany

Northern Advocate, 31 May 1949, Page 5

Russia Refects W. Plan For Germany

PARIS, Mon. (11.30 a.m.)— Russia today rejected the Western powers’ plaji for a united federal republic in Germany. M. Vyshinsky, in the Big Four Foreign Ministers’ session lasting three and a half hours, criticised the plan in detail and completely rejected the principles underlying it. He said the proposals were “in conflict with the desires and interests of the German people who wanted a peace treaty and an end of the occupation.” He further declared that they were in conflict with the Potsdam and Yalta agreements.

The ministers today resumed their •consideration of item one of their four-point agenda—German unity and four-power control..

in public sessions with the press present.

It ha been drafted by representatives of, and approved by 45,000,000 Germans and envisaged Elections for a Federa government. It Was “fully in accord with the just aspirations of the German people.” FRENCH HOPES French delegation sources expressed the view that M. Vyshinsky’s criticisms would be more constructive tomorrow. They did not consider M. Vyshinsky’s “no” as final. They thought that eventually the four pqwers would reach a compromise bridging the gulf between East and West.

They began the discussion last Tuesday when M. Vyshinsky called for a return to four-power control and the establishment of an all-German state council in Berlin, possessing economic and political powers.

M. Vyshinsky turned down out of hand any question of adherance of the Soviet zone to the Bonn Constitution. He said it was based on a violation of democratic principles. The German people, he said, had had no part in its drafting, which had been the result of open pressure by the Western powers. “ATTEMPT TO IMPOSE”

M. Vyshinsky said the Bonn Constitution aimed at the dismemberment of Germany. The Western proposals were nothing but an attempt to impose an order without the participation or' consent of the German people or the Soviet Union, which had responsibility under the terms of the Potsdam Agreement. M. Vyshinsky declared that the real desires of the German people were represented by the constitution drafted by the People’s Council in Berlin. The so-called freedoms referred to by the Western powers had resulted in the persecution of democratic elements in the Western zones, and had given freedom only to elements which had supported the Hitlerite regime. M. Vyshinsky denounced the Western proposal for majority voting as contrary to the Potsdam Agreement. SOVIET PROPOSALS The Soviet proposals, on the other hand, he claimed, were fully compatible with Potsdam, corresponded to the interests of the German people, facilitated the conclusion of a peace treaty and the termination of the occupation regime, and contributed to the promotion of Eurpean peace. The Western proposals did not reflect a desire by the three Western powers to l’each a settlement with Russia. Mr Bevin asked, M. Vyshinsky: “Do you oppose the conception of a German Government ? ” / M. Vyshinsky di ’ not reply directly but said there were big differences between the East and West, not only on what they had said today, but on what he intended to say tomorrow. Mr Bevin expressed disappointment at the Russian rejection of the proposals without their having taken any steps to examine them clause by clause, or to see how they would work out in detail in their application to Germany as a whole. GENERALLY ACCEPTED He recalled that since Yalta the eventual establishment of a government in Germany had been generally accepted, but it would now appear that this had been rejected by the Soviet delegation. ie hoped the Soviet would go over the proposals again, point by point, in an honest effort to reach agreement.

They might, by the foundation of a peaceful Germany, do something to end the antagonisms between th East and West and again make possible collaboration between them on a basis of m 1 .tual trust.

Mr Bevin went into the Western proposals in detail. He dealt wffh some of M. Vyshinsky’s criticisms. , M. Vyshinsky replied that differences of opinion between them concerned not details, but main principles. The chief proposals of the three Western governments were basically contrary to the Potsdam decisions, he said, and the Sovi t Government stood on thf basis of those decisions. INCREASING FREEDOM

Mr Acheson said that the proposals of the Western powers provided for increasing freedom for German Government.

The Soviet proposals, on the other hand, did. not provide for German government but merely for an administrative body under the Allied Control Council.

Mr Acheson said M. Vyshinsky could not even pretend that continuance of Soviet ownership of one-third of the industrial corporations in the eastern zcre was in conformity with the desires of th? German people. He said the Bonn Constitution taao not been drafted in secret, but mostly