Provisional Plan of Frontier Adjustments For Western Germany

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27041, 28 March 1949, Page 5

Provisional Plan of Frontier Adjustments For Western Germany

New Zealand Press Association—Copyright

Rcc. 9 p.m. LONDON, Mar. 26. Western German frontier readjustments, affecting fifty-two square miles and about 13,500 people, have been announced in a communique issued by the Western Allies. The adjustments, which are described as provisional and which will be settled definitely at the time of the final peace settlement, are ordered at thirty-one points along the German frontiers with the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Saar, and France lor administrative and communications reasons*. The Germans affected may elect to move out of the areas into German-administrated territory.

The diplomatic correspondent of the Sunday Times says the areas involved in the post-war frontier changes between Germany and her neighbours will not be specified until a later date, presumably to avoid causing unnecessary dismay or migration among the people concerned. A Delimitation Commission will fix the exact limits of the “ modifications ” and will consult beforehand with local authorities and residents should this appear desirable. The territorial adjustments are the result of claims which the Western neighbours made against Germany at the end of the war. The Western Powers stress that only those changes have been examined which do not involve a loss to German economy and are regarded as desirable to eliminate local anomalies and improve communications.

A Dutch Government spokesman in The Hague said the Dutch and German frontier changes concerned purely technical anomalies interfering with the waterways, general traffic, and customs. "“The Germans reacted bitterly to the announcement of the frontier changes, reports the Associated Press Frankfurt correspondent. The State Cabinet of the North Rhine-Westphalia said the Western Allies’ decision violated the Atlantic Charter and international law. The Cabinet, representing the State chieflv affected by the changes, said: “This is a hard blow against democracy. against confidence and the spirit which should establish a free Europe." Dr Konrad Adenauer, president of the Parliamentary Council, charged with drawing up the Constitution for Western Germany, commented: “ This is no step forward and no way to a united Europe. The decision was made without hearing the German authorities." Inquiry Into German’s Speech The British Foreign Office has asked the British Minister in Berne for a full report of a speech made in Switzerland by Dr Konrad Adenaeur, says The Times. A Foreign Office spokesman said: “ If what Dr Adenaeur is reported to have said is true, it is something to be deprecated and portends ill for the future of German democracy."

Dr Adenaeur's speech was delivered in Berne on March 23 to Swiss members of Parliament. Its tenor has only just become known, says the Geneva correspondent of The Times. He is reported to have said that there remained a strong nationalistic feelingin Germany which was growing daily. “It was the German army, not the German people who capitulated, and this the world had better remember,” he is said to have added. He is also reported to have severely criticised the Western Powers’ administration of Western Germany, particularly their dismantling policy, which he is said to have ascribed to their desire to protect themselves against future German competition He is also understood to have said that the Allies’ division of Germany into zones was a highly retrograde proceeding which would retard German development for 100 years. Dr Adenauer told Reuter's Bonn correspondent last night that he had been misreported. Foreign papers had dul words into his mouth he had never used, or had grossly distorted statements. Foreign Ministers’ Meeting The United States State Department is reported to be quietly arranging a Three-power Foreign Ministers’ meeting on Western Germany to be held in Washington immediately after the signing of the Atlantic pact on April 4, says the Associated Press. The authorities said talks between Mr Ernest Bevin, Mr Dean Acheson and M. Robert Schumann would be very informal. Among the issues they may discuss are, first, drafting the occupation statute to determine the relationship between the Occupation Powers and the proposed German Government; secondly, the division of powers between the proposed central German Government and the State Governments: thirdly, the possibilities'of ending the Berlin blockade; fourthly, reparations: fifthly, prohibited and iestricted German industries. American officials say the talks are not expected to resolve these issues in detail, but they hope for agreement in principle so that their deputies can subsequently work out complete agreements