RESTORING PEACE TO BERLIN

Chronicle (Levin), 3 June 1949, Page 5

RESTORING PEACE TO BERLIN

■;r' (N.Z.P.A.—

-Reuter,

Western AHies Hand Five-point Plan To Russia

, Gopyright)

Received Friday, 10 a.m. PARIS, June 2. The Western Powers, at the Big Four conference tqday, handed Russia a plan fqr restqring peace and quiet tq Berlin by reuniting it under Four-Pqwer control. Tqday's sessiqn of the Ministers lasted qnly 90 minutes— the shqrtest meeting since the conference qpened. It w^s adjourned to enable the Soviet delegation to study the Western plan. ^ n Speaking fqr Mr. Ernest Bevin (Britain) and M. Schuman (France), as well as fqr the United States, Mr. Dean Achesqn put forward a five-point prqpqsal and asked that it be discussed in a restricted sessiqn. Mr. Vyshinsky (Russia), a'fter asking for time to study the plan, agreed tq Mr. Acheson's request fqr a restricted. session, which will be held tomqrrow. The Western plan, as qutlined by Mr. Achesqn, calls fqr: * Firstly, free elections f'qr Berlin te be held under the electoral prqcedure applied in Octqber, 1946. Secendly, the electiqns tq be fqllqwed by the establishment qf a provisiqnal city gqvernment with full and adequate powers to be agreed upon by the Four Powers. Thirdly, the elected assembly to draft a permanent constitution for Berlin. Fourthly, the Four Power Control Council to be reconstituted on principles to be agreed upon during the current meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers. Fifthly, the occupation costs to be held to a minimum and agreed to on a Four-Power basis.