BERLIN STILL REMAINS A POWDER KEG

Chronicle (Levin), 5 August 1948, Page 5

BERLIN STILL REMAINS A POWDER KEG

RocMvpd "WcliiAsday, 7 e.in, LUXDOX, August 4. Hocrocy still surrounds the meeting in Moscow between the Western envoys ainl Marshal Stalin but it ean at least be sa'nl that Four-Power discnssions of liot.li the Berlin deadloek and the wider international (livisions in (termany, are a possible scqucl, says The Tinies in a leader. What the onteonie of sncdi discnssions conld be is less easy to say. Xcither side wants war but in a contest of will, tliere was always a risk. The Russian blockade of Berlin bore niost of the marks of an aet of war and the risk of a direct clash was not lessencd when the W'-stern Powers began to supply the beleagured districts by air. A solution by negotiation was now boing sought but past experience, The Tinies adds, was a sharp reminder that to begin talks was not to succeed in tliem. (ieneral Sir Brian Robertson, Britisli Militarv Bovernor in Germany, reealled by the Borcign Oltice for eonsultatioii, has arrived in London. .According to ihe Daily Lxpress' politieal correspomlent, this step was taken by Mr. Bevin alter studying Mr. Roberls' report on the Moscow talks lmt tliere was nc ollicial information in London last night abour the oxact purpose of General Itolxut -mu 's surprise visit. Some eoinmentators assure that it can moan only a pending and important changc in the highly cdiarged Berlin.' situation — but wholluw for better or worse is not known.