NOT ACCEPTABLE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27385, 10 May 1950, Page 7

NOT ACCEPTABLE

Russian Conditions ALL-BERLIN ELECTION NZPA—Copyright Rec. 9 p.m. BERLIN, May 9. Russia has proposed that all occupation troops should be withdrawn as a prerequisite for free elections .for the whole of Berlin. The proposal was described in Allied circles last night as a clever move in the cold war timed to coincide with the London meeting of the three Western Foreign Ministers. The Russians further suggested that the sector boundaries should be wiped out, the scrapping of the occupation statute now in force in West Berlin, and permission for the Communist National Front and all the other Com-munist-inspired political organs of East Berlin to function unhindered in the Western sector. The Russian proposals were contained in a letter by Colonel Alexias Yelizarov, Deputy Soviet Commandant in Berlin, in reply to a suggestion for free elections made last month' by the West Berlin City Assembly. Colonel Yelizarov, whose letter was addressed to the American, British and French Commandants, wrote: “ This is the only correct way *of securing free and democratic all-Berlin elections. Its realisation would be a serious contribution to the re-estab-lishment of a united Germany on a democratic basis.” >

The British Commandant, Majorgeneral G. K. Bourne, described the Soviet reply as a roundabout way of saying “No.” The Western forces were in Berlin by right under the Potsd,am Agreement until Germany’s future was settled. If they were withdrawn Berlin would be isolated within the Soviet' zone with Western troops more than 90 miles away. “All I can add is that the Russian proposals are completely unacceptable,” General Bourne said. U