Evening star., 1948-10-27
Failure Of 'NeufraIs'
To Mediate Crisis in
Berlin Called PuzzIinq
Russiuns Refused Chance
To Suve Foee for Some
Unexplained Reasons

To Suve Fuce for Some
Unexplained Reasons
By David Laurence
There is much to be puzzled about
in the news of what happened at
Paris in the effort at mediation
made by six neutral" governments
trying to lift the Berlin blockade
1t was not clear-cut rejection
by Russia of the demand that the
blockade be lifted. The Soviets were
ready to lift the blockade, but they
wanted a face-saving formula to
avoid being accused throughout
their own country of having re-
treated. They wanted to avoid a
blow to their pride and prestige as
a sovereign nation-something on
which the Soviets are far more
sensitive than is generally realized
But the Western Powers for rea-
sons of their own-reasonS not fully
. eXplained-refused to permit the
Russians any face-saving formula
and rejected out of hand the one
way that the blockade might really
have been lifted in the near future
Vishinsky's Conditions.
The conditions imposed by vi
-shinsky at the last moment were
that the blockade be lifted gradually
and simultaneously with an agree
ment on the methods of controlling
. the currency in Berlin. His idea
evidently was that Russia should
. not be compelled to give up her
strategic position in the bargaining
: in the event that there was no
agreement ultimately on the cur
rency question.
The Western Powers took the po-
sition, on the other hand, that to
agree to a gradual withdrawal of
: blockade restrictions while at the
same time discussing the currency
question was negotiation under
duress." This is true, of course, but
it is a strange point to make when
the Western Powers have actually
been negotiating under the duress
of the blockade since last summer
. and the neutrals have been doing
: the same for several days at Paris.
"A few days more Of negotiating "un-
>, der duresS" would not have mill
tated against eventual agreement
II any was really to be had.
The diplomacy of the Western
Powers is at fault for not accepting
:Athe proposal made by Vishinsky with
counterproposal of their own de-
fining, with certain time limits, the
8. number of days that would be given
to a discussion Of the currency
agreement and the number Of days
within which Russia would promise
complete removal of all blockade
restrictions.
Already the Western Powers had
. stipulated that there would be no
, meeting Of the Council of Foreign
Ministers until certain number of
days had elapsed after the actual
lifting Of the blockade. This Rus
sia apparently was ready to accept,
so it seems inexplicable as to why
the Western Powers or the mediat-
ing countries did not take Vishinsky
up and test the good faith of his
currency suggestion.
1t is idle to contend that the
Russians do not want and never did
want an agreement. Even assuming
this to be true, it is the duty Of the
: Western Powers not to becloud the
record with any barrier of their own.
1t is much more important to make
the kind of record that will convince
neutral opinion that everything was
done that could have been done to
= avert break.
Theory Conforms With Law.
: The theory of mediation which the
Russians evidently pursued was in
= conformity with established practice
III international law. A mediation
in critical dispute is usually based
: on retaining for each side the same
. strategic position which prevailed
when the mediator entered the pic
ture. The purpose, of course, is to
permit freedom Of discussion and an
e opportunity to revert to the position
actually occupied before mediation
. started If the negotiations fail.
= Russia, to be sure, is 100 per cent
wrong in distrusting the good faith
: Of the Western Powers, but this
:, does not absolve the Western Powers
from the duty to recognize the
tactics Of the party to a dispute who
: Is distrustful.
- If the objective Is an eventual
= settlement by peaceful methods, the
:. stronger nation loses nothing by a
;. few days delay during the time
when q discussion ensues to deter
mine II an agreement is at all pos
sible. The Russians now can say
- they offered to lift the blockade,
that they offered to lift it immedi-
- ately on reaching an agreement on
the currency problem, but that their
proposal was declined by the West
ern Powers.
The Soviet position can be made
to look very plausible inside Russia
Likewise, for Moscow to have grant
ed the demand Of the Western
Powers and to have lifted the block
yade before an agreement on the
"details of the currency problem had
been worked out would have been
hailed throughout the world as a
81 victory" for the Western Powers.
- That would have hurt the Soviets
inside Russia and among their
:, satellite countries.
The key to a settlement with
Russia Is recognition of q simple
i. principle-that Russia cannot be
coerced without war and that she
cannot expect to coerce the Western
;, Powers without war. Mediation
= could have settled the issue at Paris
:: Maybe informal mediation outside
the United Nations will continue.
1t is to be hoped that the progress
made thus far will not be lost.
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