ZONAL BARRIERS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26638, 8 December 1947, Page 5

ZONAL BARRIERS

GERMANY DIVIDED ECONOMIC UNITY DELAYED APPEAL FOR FOUR-POWER CO-OPERATION N.Z.P.A.—Reuter—Copyright. Rec. 8 p.m. LONDON, Dec. 6. The United States Secretary of State, Mr George Marshall, told the Council of Foreign Ministers yesterday that they must drop generalities in expressing their desire for the creation of a Central German Government, and try to find out what each really had in mind for a German settlement. “ We. pass to-day from consideration of procedures to harsh realities,” he said. The provision made under the Potsdam agreement for established central German agencies was intended to establish the economic unity of Germany, to Powers had subscribed. The creation of these agencies was a preliminary towards the establishment of a German Government. Economic unity has not been established. Zonal barriers are even more pronounced, and a German Government called upon to administer Germany divided as it is to-day by the policies of the occupying Powers, would be a sham and a delusion. “It is useless to debate the desirability of a Central German Government unless the Allies are prepared to create conditions under which it could function The United States wants an all-German Government just as soon as there is an all-Germany to be governed.” Agreement, on Common Principles Mr Marshall said the Ministers must agree on the common principles necessary to enable a German Government to function effectively, including basic freedom for the individual, abolition of the zonal boundaries except as delimitation of occupation areas, removal of hindrance to the free flow of persons, ideas and goods throughout the country, the relationship of the Allied control authorities to the German Government, and conditions deemed necessary to secure Europe s security against future German aggression. . „ , Mr Marshall said: ‘ I hope Mr Molotov will now be precise about the creation of conditions which wouia make a Central German Government a living reality, not a pretence. _ The German situation urgently requires a four-Power decision without delay, i ask for action on these points to end the present division of Germany. The Council spent 100 minutes discussing on what basis to discuss the principles of economic unity, but failed to reach agreement, and adjourned to December 8. British Proposal Rejected

The three Western delegates were prepared to accept as the basis for discussion a British document which Mr Bevin said debit with German economic unity as a whole, and was put forward as something on which the Ministers oould work. Mr Molotov refused to accept this, and wanted to discuss some Russian documents, which in fact were records of the disagreement when the Big Four met in MosCOW. M. Bidault said the British document was positive, whereas the Russian records of earlier arguments were negative. Mr Molotov would not give way and M. Bidault commented that they were going round in circles, “ which tended to make one sick." The Russian documents urged the controlling Powers to recognise the need for expediting the rehabilitation of German peace-time industry, agriculture and transport, and for raising German living standards, and said that Russia recognised the. need for Germany to participate in restoring the economies of European countries which German forces had ravaged. The documents referred to the need for Germany to develop foreign trade, and also proposed raising the annual steel production level to 12,000,000 tons. It recommended the institution of central German departments, the settlement of procedure for the fulfilment of reparations obligations, and the abolition of inter-zonal barriers to free the flow of goods throughout Germany.

Russia’s Control Proposals Mr Molotov, in proposing to the Big Four that inter-zonal barriers in Germany should be abolished, said: “All zonal organs embracing one or more zones shall be abolished.”

Reuter says that this presumably would mean the end of the AngloAmerican “ bizonia.” Mr Molotov's document on the establishment- of central German departments stipulated that the Allied Control Council in Berlin should form them immediately and be responsible for supervising and directing their work through zone commanders.

The exact wording of this point is:

•’The zone commanders each in his own zone being guided by the necessity of ensuring the fulfilment of Germany's obligations to the Allies, the maintenance of the security of the occupation forces, and the observance of the instructions of the 'Control Council, and shall exercise general supervision and control of the central German administrative departments on basic questions.’”