Allied Military Heads Meet To Discuss Crisis

Chronicle (Levin), 20 July 1948, Page 5

Allied Military Heads Meet To Discuss Crisis

(N.Z.P.A.-

-Reuter..

Copyright)

Receiyed Monday, 7 p.m. LONDON, July 19. The Allied Commanders-in-Chief, ■Generals Robertson, Clay and Koenig, at a meeting in Berlin, are likely ti? di'scuss a siiggestion that an Allied q,rmoured food train or cohvoy of armed food lorries should, ■ after ample warning to the Russians, be sent towards Berlin from the Allied Zones, to break the Berlin blockade. Correspondents state' that French support is necessary for such a plan and the fact thg.t .Gpngr^l Koenig, for the firgt time for a long while, is conferring with j other Allied leaders, is regarded as! significant. ' j The Paily Mail's Berlin eorrespon- 1 dent says it is known that there has ! been disagreement between Generai Koenig and the Ang'lo- American Com-manders-in-Chief regarding the way in which tlie Berlin situation should be handled- Generals Robertson and Glav will reuew efforts to persuade Generai Koenig to join theni in a united front. ! It will be emphasised that thus far Prance has niade no appveciable concribution to ihe air lift. If accepted, the "break througli" plan would l'orin the basis of a new Three-Power Xote | to AIoscow. The air lift, meamyhile, is being | increased. The Auiericans, in tlte 24 j liours up to 4 p.m. 'in Sunday, delivered i taOti tqns of s.upplies to Western ! Berlin including 845 toqs of food and I 652 tons of coal. Two hundred and ten ! British ' trausports, including 10(i J Dakotas, 90 Yorks and 14 Suuderland i flying boats, in the 24 hours to noon on i Sunday, niade continuous food fliglith | into Berlin. Xevertheless, the Allie.s. j realisc that tlie prospect of supplying ! 2,500,000 Berliners bv air througli the i short days of winter, is goihg to be ' j'qrniidable. The Manchester Guardian said the ' Western Allies for the moinent must be ; content to continue the air provisioning i of Berlin and do all they cun to con solidate Western defences against a i uew ayt of Russi in aggression. Tlie ' fliglit of American Superfortresses to : Britain was "a symbohc rnoveinent of J great importance and encouragemeiit. " ' The Dailv Hxpress 's jiolitical. correspondent said the Western Powers, discussiiig tlie degree of bbmlness to be used in the next Xote to Moscovv* added thgt Washington is believed to be pressing for a strong line. Paris waats a more conciliatory attbude while Whitehall is trying to steer a middle coui'se.