America Will Stand Up For Rights In Berlin

Chronicle (Levin), 10 September 1948, Page 5

America Will Stand Up For Rights In Berlin

: (N.Z.P.A.-

-Reuter,

Copyright)

Received Friday, 11 a.m. LONDON, Sept. 9. Speaking.in Washington today, President Truman pro^ claimed America's determina- J tion to "stand up for our rights" ! in Berlifi. Ile said that the j Secretary of State, Mr. George j Marshall, had his unqualified j backing for the assertion yesterday that current developments in Berlin should be ''firmly resisted." President Truman claimed that the Russians were indulging in "attempted duress." The President said : "We are still standing up for our rights in Berlin. We are doing everyt.hing we can by negotiating, | but we will not negotiate under j duress. We are not negotiating i under duress and we will con-j tinue negotiating, always hoping that we can get peace." Ths- Fivnch commandant in Berlin. General Jean Ganeval, today aceused the Russian anthorities of a "flagrant breach oi' the personal guarantee" given by the Soviet commander in Berlin, General Kotikov. General Ganeval wrote to General Kotikov and said: "As the result oi* a telephone call made 011 your initiative yeslerday, an agreement was reached between us under which all persons authorised to leave ihe City Hall quit the Soviet sector without being stopped. You assured me that you personally would be responsible for carryiug out this order." General Ganeval added that General Kotikov knew the Russian ailegations that the French oflicers were drunk was false. Tiie Foreign Secretary, Mr. Ernest Beviil, will make a full report on the long drawn out negoiiations in Berlin and Moscow to Cabinet tomorrow, says Reuter's political correspondent.