GOING ROUND IN CIRCLE

Chronicle (Levin), 8 December 1947, Page 5

GOING ROUND IN CIRCLE

(N.Z.P.A.-

-Reuter

Bidault's Comment On Big Four Talks

Covyright)

Received Sunday, 5.30 p.m. LONDOX, Dee. 6. The Coimcil of Alinisters .spent one hundred minutes today discussing on what basis to disouss the prineiples of German economic unity. The Council reaehed no agreement and adjourned to Monday. The three Western delegates were prejiared to accept as a basis for discussion a British documenl which, Alr. Bevin said, dealt with Germari econoniic unity as a whole and was put forward as somethlng on which the Alinisters could work. Alr. Alolotov refused to accept this aml wanted to discuss some Russian documents wliich, in fact, wero the reoords of the disagreenient when the Big Four met in ALoscow. AI. Bidault (France) said the British document was positive .wliereas the Russian records of earlier arguments were negative. Alr. Alolotov would not give wav and Alr. Bidault conimented that they were going round in circies "which tends to make one sick. " The Russian documents urged the controlling powers to recognise the need for expediting the rehabilitation of (lerman peacetiiue industry, agriculture and transport, and for raising German liviug staiulards. It said Russia recoguised the need for Germany to participate in res'toring the economies of Furopean eountries which the Gernnin forces had ravaged and the need for Germany to develop her foreigu trade. Russia also proposed raising Ihe annual steel production level to 12, 000, 000 tons and recommended tlie institution of ceniral dennan depart - ments, ihe settlement of procedure for the fuililment of reparations obligations, and the abolition of inter-zonal barriers to the free flow of goods t h ro u gh ou t (! ermany . Alr. Alolotov, in proposing to the Big Four that the inlerzonal barriers oi deiniany should be abolished, said. j"AIl the zonal organs embracing oue or niore zones shall^lie abolished." Reuter says this presumablv would mean the end of the Anglo-American "Bizonia". Alr. Alolotov's documenl on the establislnnent of central dennan depariments stipulated that the Allied i Control douneil in Berlin should form tlieiu innnediately and be responsible for supervising and directing their work through the zone coinmanders. The exaet wording of this point is •'The zone coinmanders each in liis own zone, being guided by the necessity of ensuring the fuililment of Germany 's obligations to the Allies, the maintenance of the security of the oecupation forces, and the observance of the instructions of the Control Council, shall exercise general s\ij»ervision and control of the central dennan administrative ilepartnienls on basic questions. " "There is no mistaking that the Foreign Alinisters yesterday reaehed ihe heart of their disput es, " says The Times" displomatic \vriter. Alr. Alarshall and Alr. Bevin answered some of Alr. Alolotov's accusations and demanded specilic ansvvers to questions on such subjects as reparations. AI. Bidault restateil the French case in great detail and there was no iloubt that here at least were a good niany cards face upward. AI. Bidault again demanded a special reginie for the Ruhr. ILe said France never opposeil a normal standard for the dennan people, but the restoration of Germany must not have prioritv over the restoration of Allied eountries. At Fridav's meeting Alr. Alolotov said: "It seems that the United Slates Government is clearly not interested m setting up an all-derman Government. ' * Me added that there had been some taia of economic unitv. but the British ano Fnited -States dovernments were always acting unilaterally. In the Britisn draft no mention had been giveu to the dennan people themselves and it was on that that German unity depended. Alr. Bevin replied: "Afr. Alolotov has talked about Potsdam and reparations, but the British people are paying now for food for the Germans. "