SOVIET ADVANTAGE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26629, 27 November 1947, Page 5

SOVIET ADVANTAGE

PROPOSALS FOR UNITY CLAIMS ON WESTERN ZONES Rec. 9 p.m. LONDON, Nov. 26. Discussing the first day's proceedings of the Foreign Ministers’ conference. the diplomatic correspondent of The Times emphasises that even if all procedural deadlocks are cleared out of the way, it still remains to be seen whether a solid basis exists for building up a four-Power agreement on German unity. So far as the Russians are concerned they now have their zone tightly organised politically as weH as economically, and they might well think that any move towards unity would react to their advantage. Virtually all the steel is in the western zones and if the Russians are to get anything more in the way of reparations from current production it is from there that it must come. Therefore, in urging proposals for greater unity they might reckon to throw the British and Americans on the defensive. Moreover, a Russian decision now to restore German unity might be reckoned to cause temporary embarrassment to those working out the Marshall Plan. The correspondent continues that it seems possible, therefore, that Russia will show the initiative in profounding schemes for the unified economic and political organisation of Germany, but she would have to go a long way indeed from the position taken up at Moscow if any such scheme is to be acceptable to the other three occupying Powers. So far she has given little indication that she is prepared to do so. Both the British and Americans are bound by sheer necessity to their objections to reparations from current production. France, provided she is certain of keeping the Saar, may well feel that she can safely allow some extent of agreement or disagreement between the other Powers before putting forward her own views.