Russia's Two Conditions For Ending Berlin Blockade

Wanganui Chronicle, 29 April 1949, Page 5

Russia's Two Conditions For Ending Berlin Blockade

West Must End Counter-Measures, Call Foreign Ministers' Meeting (N.Z.P.A.—Copyright J NEW YORK. April 27 (Rec. 7.40 pm).—The Soviet delegate to the United Nat ions, Mr. Jacob Malik, in discussion yesterday with Doctor Philip Jessup, United States roving ambassador, gave oral assurances that the Soviet would raise the Berlin blockade on the two conditions announced by Tass, the official Soviet news agency, says the New York “Times.” ■ The conditions are that the United States, Britain and France will immediately remove counter-measures imposed as a reply to the Soviet restrictions on land, and water communications, and that the Western Powers will agree to a date for the meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers on the German question. In Washington, the Secretary of State, Mr. Acheson, said today tha„ any Russian-Western Powers agreement ending the Berlin blockade would not end the need for /he Atlantic Pact. Senator Henry Cabot Lodge had asked Mr. Acheson whether the treaty would still be necessary in the event of tlie East-West deadlock over Berlin being broken. BERLIN, April 28 (Rec. 12.45 am). —The- British licensed newspaper, “Social Demoerate, ” said today that the Russian Ambassador, Mr. Vladimir Semconov, told German Communist leaders during a conference at Karlshorst last Tuesday that the blockade of Berlin had been a failure and that he was expecting detailed instructions from Moscow on lifting it.