Armed Police Force For Eastern Zone Is Planned by Russians

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

Armed Police Force For Eastern Zone Is Planned by Russians

N.Z.P.A. —Reuter —Copyright BERLIN, Oct. 27. The Russians had planed a police force of 200,000 in the Soviet zone of Germany armed with mortars, heavy machine guns, and armoured cars, said the British Military Governor. General Sir Brian Robertson. Speaking at a press conference he said: “I do not think the Russian actions are compatible with the Potsdam agreement. However, I shall not make any protest. We do not intend to match this policy in the western zones. This new organisation is of a distinctly military character. Its

armament is formidable. This police force is being organised and armed—and it is being armed to deal with Germans.” General Robertson added that the Soviet police force was reported as being recruited from Germans captured in Stalingrad, and since indoctrinated with Communism The Western Allies had to look on the force as a Russian-inspired scheme to turn Germany into a police State after the occupation troops left. Seeking to plug the last loophole in their inner blockade on Western Berlin. the Russians to-day had military police as well as German police stopping intra-city traffic, even pedestrians, says the Associated Press correspondent. One such force, armed with machine guns and pistols, stood at the Brandenburg Gate, the dividing line between the Soviet and British sectors. Vehicular traffic was halted and cargoes confiscated unless they held written Soviet authorisation. The western authorities to-day exStressed fears that the Soviet authoriies, under the guise of adding to the safety of air travel, may demand the drawing up of new flight regulations, which will in reality give them control over the British and American air lift. The British authorites are studying a letter from Captain Zorchenko, Soviet chief controller at the Four Power Berlin Air Safety Centre which states that no Four-Power agreement exists governing Allied air traffic into and out of Berlin.