LITTLE POWERS’ PROPOSAL FOR BERLIN SETTLEMENT IS SENT TO MOSCOW

Grey River Argus, 11 October 1948, Page 5

LITTLE POWERS’ PROPOSAL FOR BERLIN SETTLEMENT IS SENT TO MOSCOW

FAVOURABLE R£FIY FROM KREMLIN IS BOfffi (Rec. 9.30) PARIS, October 9. • M. Vyshinsky (Soviet) is reliably reported by United Nations sources to have forwarded to the premlin a plan from “The Little Six.” in the U.N.O. Security Council to solve the Berlin crisis. An Associated Press correspondent states that if these sources said that a need to wait for the Kremlin reply caused “The Little Six,” who comprise Argentine, Canada, China, Belgium, Colombia and Syria, to favour delaying until Tuesday, or later, the next U.N. Security Council meeting on the Berlin dispute. The nature of the plan has not been disclosed. A delay in the Council meeting would give the Council President, Senor Bramuglia, of Argentina, more time for go-between work towards mediation. The “Little Six” powers are believed to be thinking in the terms of a joint Six-Power declaration appealing to the Big Four Powers to compose their differences in a spirit of mutual concession and co-operation. After a meeting of the Little Six Powers, Senor Roberto Urdeneita (Colombia) said: “I have hopes that we will succeed in finding a formula, but it,will take a little time.” LONDON, October 9. Reuter’s correspondent at Paris says: “Senor Bramuglia is understood to have presented two main points to M. Vyshinsky in their interview yesterday, namely: (1) In view of the Soviet delegation’s “boycott” of the Security Council, would Russia be prepared to accept and to honour a directive from the Council on the Berlin issue? (2) In what terms would the Soviet delegation envisage a “formula” for the lifting of the blockade? M. Vyshinsky is understood to have told M. Manuilsky (Ukraine delegate) with whom Bramuglia also had an interview, that he would refer the questions to Moscow and would give a reply later.

Senop Bramuglia believes that both Russia and the Western Powers would genuinely like* a settlement, if neither side loses too much face. It is believed that the idea is that the Berlin blockade should be lifted simultaneously with the reference of the entire German question to the Foreign Ministers’ Council. It is rumoured that, there was an unofficial approach by Dr Evatt (Australia) and M. Trygve Lie (U.N.O. Secretary-General) to the Big Powers to call a three-months’ truce in Berlin, but the idea, if actually put forth, died a quick death.

Berlin Blockade Expected to go on AD the Winter

RUSSIAN AIR MANOEUVRES EVOKE MORE PROTESTS (Rec. 8.10). LONDON. October 9. Heavy ground fog around Berlin put a stop to the Russian air, manoeuvres in the Allied air corri-! dors. It also considerably slowed down the Allied air lift. News agency reports from Berlin state that when the fog lifted, the Russians again announced they would hold big scale manoeuvres in the Allied air lift corridors, including gunnery drill. The British controller at the Berlin Safety Centre lodged six separate protests with the Soviet controller on Saturday as the result of the Soviet manoeuvres. A British spokesman said that these protests would continue as long as the manoeuvres were continued. The Americans have also lodged protests. Reuter’s correspondent at Berlin says: • Major-General Herbert, the British Commandant in Berlin, _ has assured the British community living in the blockaded German capital that they will not go cold or hungry this winter. He added: “There are strong reasons to suppose that we may remain blockaded in Berlin this coming winter’’. He earlier said that, despite the Russian blockade, all the 2,500.900 Germans in the three Western sectors of Berlin will have their rations increased by 200 calories daily from November 1.

AH West Germany to Have Single Economy

(Rec. 9.30). LONDON, October 9. Reuter’s diplomatic correspondent says: It has been reliably learned that the agencies controlling foreign trade in the bi-zone and the French zone of Germany are expected to merge on Monday, with the pact to be signed in Berlin. This merger is a major step towards a complete economic fusion of the three Western zones.