RUSSIA WANTS AGREEMENT ON OWN TERMS SOLELY

Chronicle (Levin), 12 October 1948, Page 5

RUSSIA WANTS AGREEMENT ON OWN TERMS SOLELY

(N.Z.P.A.

■^-Reuter,

Britain Places Blame For Crisis

Copyright)

Reeeived Tuesday, 11.30 a.m. LONDON, October 11. ' Russia has no intention of reaching agreement in the Berlin dispute save on her own terms, according to a White.Paper issued by the British Foreign Office. M1A The White Paper blames "Soviet intransigence" for the ./breakdown of Four Power control in Germany and the Berlin erisis.

The British Government declared: "The present situation in Berlin is the result of the failure of the Four Powers, owinp- to Soviet intransigence, to agree to a common policy for Germ'any." The Berlin dispute is shown as the inevitable outcome of the collapse of the Four Power administration of Germany. The White Paper charges that Russia's attitude has been shown in breaehes by the Soviet Government of the political and economic principles laid down at Potsdam. "The Soviet has unilaterally declared that the United Kingdom, the United States and France have forfeited their rights to be in Berlin or take part in the Four Power oecupation and administration of the city. Culminating the Soviet attitude of obstruction has been the blockade of Berlin. It is because of this that the Western Powers have been forced to establisli the air lift. "The result of the Moscow Berlin discussions in August and September make it clear that the Soviet has 110 intention of reaching agree- | ment save on its own terms. It isj thus clear that the Soviet intends to exact, as the price for the lifting j of its unlawful blockade, the aban- I domnent by the Western Powers of : their rights in Berlin." The White Paper said that the

right of the United Kingdom, the United1 States and France to be ixi Berlin is absolute and unqualified. . The European Advisory Council Agreement from which this right derives is completely indeoendent of the Y'alta and Potsdam Agreements. Condemning the Soviet refusal to participate in the European recovery programme, the White Paper says that in ttie light of this attitude it became clear that the Soviet claim to participate in the control of the Ruhr was in fact a claim to be allowed to sabotage the recovery of Western Europe. In a section on Soviet policy in the Eastern zone of Germany the Wnite Paper asserts; "Within the Soviet zone the population is not accorded freedom of speech or information. The judiciary is not independent and thousands of people, including children, have been arbitrarily arrested and confined in concentration camps within the Soviet zone, or deported to the Soviet Union. Skilled workers have also been forcibly removed to the Soviet Union. In addition, the Soviet authorities have used presisure and discrimination against all ! political parties who oppose the Socialist Unity Party, which is under Communist control." •