Evening star., 1948-09-27

The tert of the note sent to the
Soviet government yesterday by
the United States, Britain ana
France tollotOs.
1 The governments of the United
States. France and the United King
dom. conscious of their obligations
under the charter Of the United Ma
tions to settle disputes by peaceful
means, took the initiative on July
30, 1s4s, in approaching the Soviet
government for informal discussions
in Moscow in order to explore every
possibility of adjusting a dangerous
situation which had arisen by reason
of measures taken by the Soviet
government directly challenging the
rights of the other occupying
powers in Berlin.
These measures, persistently pur-
sued, amounted to blockade OF
land and water transport and COM
munications between the western
zones of Germany and Berlin which
not only endangered the main
tenance of the forces Of occupation
of the United States, France and
the United Kingdom in that city
but also ieopardized the discharge
of those governments of their duties
as occupying powers thorugh the
threat of starvation, disease and
economic ruin for the population
of Berlin.
2. The governments of the United
States, France and the United King
dom have explicitly maintained the
position that they could accept no
ARRANGEMENT which would deny or
impair the rights in Berlin acquired
by them through the defeat and
unconditional surrender of Germany
and by four-power agreements.
They were, however, willing to work
out in good faith any practical ar
rangements, consistent with their
rights and duties, for restoring TO
normal the situation in Berlin, in
cluding the problems presented by
the existence of two currencles In
that city.
3. After long and patient discus
sion, agreement was arrived at In
Moscow on a directive to the four
military governors under which the
restrictive measures placed by the
Soviet military government upon
transport and communications be-
tween the Western Zones and Berlin
would be lifted simultaneously with
the introduction Of the German
mark of the Soviet Zone as the
sole currency for Berlin under four
power control of its issue and con-
tinued use in Berlin.
Stains Confirmation Cited.
4. In connection with the lift
ing of restrictions and the main
tenance of freedom OF communi-
cation and the transport of per-
sons and goods between Berlin and
the Western Zones, the agreed dl-
rective provided that restrictions
recently imposed should be lifted.
Generalissimo Stain during the dis
cussions personally confirmed that
this meant the removal also of any
restrictions imposed prior to June
l8, 1948.
In connection with the currency
situation in Berlin, the Soviet au-
thorities insisted that the German
mark of the Soviet Zone be ac-
cepted as the sole currency for Ber-
lin. The three western occupying
powers declared that they were
ready to withdraw from circulation
in Berlin the western mark 3D. is
sued in that city and to accept the
German mark of the Soviet Zone
subject to four-power control over
its issuance, circulation and con-
tinued use in Berli1t ie.. in Berlin
only end not in the Soviet zone).
After long discussions General
issimo Stain, on August %, 194S,
personally agreed to this power
control and himself proposed the es-
tablishment of a ur-power finan-i
cial commission which would con-
troll the practical implementation
of the financial arrangements in
volved in the introduction and con-
tinued circulation of single cur
rency in Berlin and which, Gen.
eralissimo Stain specifically stated,
would have the power to control
tine German bank of emission of the
Soviet Zone in so far as its oper-
aIions with respect to Berlin were
concerned.
5. 1t was with these understand
ings, personally confirmed by Gen
eralissimo Stain, that the agreed
directive was sent to the four mill