DOOR LEFT OPEN

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26915, 29 October 1948, Page 5

DOOR LEFT OPEN

Adherence to Six-power Plan On Berlin Issue RUSSIAN MOVE AWAITED New Zealand Press Association—Copyright Rec. 10 p.m. LONDON, Oct. 28. The three Western Foreign Ministers, Mr Ernest Bevin, Mr George Marshall, and M. Robert Schumann, at a meeting in Paris last night decided not to take the Berlin question to the United Nations General Assembly. They are going to leave the door wide open to the Soviet Government if it chooses to reopen negotiations on the basis of the “ neutrals’ ” compromise resolution passed on Monday by nine of the Security Council's eleven members, says the Paris correspondent of the Daily Herald. That, he adds, is the meaning and intention of the communique issued after their meeting. Speaking at a Press conference in Berlin, the British Military Governor, General Sir Brian Robertson, expressed his “ personal opinion ” that the withdrawal of all the occupying forces might be the only solution to the East-West deadlock over Germany, but he declared that it would be dangerous to withdraw from Germany “if there was any question of* the peace of Europe not being secure. might be a good solution for the Germans to run their own affairs but first we must see they really are able to do so and would not fall victim to some small minority.”

The Foreign Ministers’ communique said: “ The three Foreign Ministers have considered the situation produced by the Soviet veto ot the Security Council resolution regarding the Berlin question. The three Governments stand by their expressed willingness to be guided Ijy the principles embodied in that resolution. The question is still on the agenda of the Security Council. The three Governments are ready to continue to fulfil their obligations and discharge their responsibilities as members of that body which is still in a position to consider any developments in the situation.” Reuter says observers consider that the policy of Britain, the United States, and France to keep the Berlin question on the agenda would be a guarantee that" in the event of any incident leading to open conflict in Berlin the United Nations would be ready to go into action immediately to maintain peace. The British United Press correspondent quotes Argentine officials as saying that Senor Juan Bramuglia has abandoned his mediation efforts in the Berlin crisis.