The Daily Alaska empire., 1949-05-05
AGREEMENT I5 REACHED
 BY BIG FOUR
Council of Foreign Mini sters fo Meet May B 10
 Decide Other Issues
lBy the Associated pressl

The lU-mOnth old Russian block ade of Berlin will be lifted Nav l2 under a Big Four agreement an- nounced today.
 The communique. released this morning in Moscow, London. Paris. Washington and New York. said the Western Powers counter block ade of the Soviet zone of Germany will be ended at the same time.
 The announcement said the Council of Foreign Ministers will meet in Paris May B ito consider questions relating to Germany. and problems arising out of the situa- ton in Berlin, including also the question of currency in Berlin"
 The communique represented the climax of more than two months of intense negotiations between the powers. It marks the beginning of the end of one of the most critical situations in the postwar struggle between Russia and the Western powers.
 Back To Normal
 It will require the full week from now to May 12 to make the com plicated arrangements for restoring normal rail, highway and barge traffic tetween Berlin and the Western Occupation zones.
 A copy of the statement was given to Trygve Lie. United Ma tions Secretary General.
 Lie said the agreement marked a great step forward for peace and the strengthening of the United Nations"
 Conflict Not Ended
 American officials were obviously cheered by the success of the New York negotiations. Many observers warned. however, that the people Of the United States and the rest of the West should not interpret 1t as meaning that the conflict be- tween Russian Communism and Western Democracy has suddenly ended.
 Russia is expected to interpret the Berlin settlement to her people as a sweeping victory for Soviet Russia and world peace forces.
 The Russian press limited itself today to announcing that agree ment was attained on all important questions of principle at the New York talks on the Berlin problem.
 Bright Omen
 All Europe hailed the scheduled ending of the blockade as bright omen, but whether it was vic- tory for the East or West de- pended on which newspaper you read or which statesmen you listened to.
 Communists said Russia had won Q round in the battle with West ern imperialists and warmongers." Western European nations took the view that Allied diplomacy-plus the airlift--had scored victory.
 Sovlet-licensed East German papers contended the Western AL lies have backed down" in agreeing tc new four-power talks on the German question.
 Airlift Continues
 Lifting. the blockade brings up the question of what will happen to the giant Allied airlift which supplied Western Berlin all these 
 Gen. Lucius D. Clay said he has received no instructions yet re- garding the air haul. The retiring Governor said. however, he expects the lift to continue until Western Berlin has stockpile of 100000 tons of supplies.
 Air Force officials in Washington said the airlift probably will be kept in standby condition in Europe until it is reasonably cer- tain Russia has no plans to set up another sudden roadblock to Ber- lin.
 US. Defense Secretary Johnson issued statement this morning the men of the airiift for carrying out "one of the greatest transportation feats in the history of the world"