Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1949-05-01
Early Lifting Of Berlin Blockade
Forecast by U.k. Assembly Head;
Talks Reported Down to Details
Allies Declared
Reossured About
Soviet Intention
By John M. Hishtower
A.s,ric,sd Pres, S,aff Writer


A,,eeia,sd Pres, s,off Writer
Informal talks with Russia on
ending the Berlin blockade are
understood today to have pro-
crossed to the question OF de-
tails, such as dates.
Russia is said to have treasured
the Western powers that it is
fully prepared to drop the Berlin
barriers II the West will end its
counter blockade and schedule a
four-power meeting on Germany.
Although Western authorities
are still wary. this apparently
means that Russia has determined
not to argue for halt in the for
nation OF Western German
government as condition pend
ing the proposed session of the
Council Of Foreign Ministers. ,
State Department Silent.
The State Department. which
earlier had talked quite freely
about the quiet negotiations,
clammed up on whatever Ameri-
can Ambassador Philic C. Jessup
reported here yesterday.
Mr.. Jessup met in New York
Friday with Soviet Deputy Foreign
Minister Jakob A. Malik. After
the conference the Ambassador
aides would say only that it was
a satisfactory" meeting and the
Russians as usual would not talk
at all. Mr.. Jessup reported to
Secretary of State Acheson Fri
day night by phone. then came to
Washington for policy talks with
other Department officials.
Mr.. sJessup met with Assistant
Secretary of State Dean Rusk,
one of Mr.. Acheson's chief poll
tical officers, and Charles E. Boh-
len, department counselor and
Russian expert.
Through Press Officer Michael
j. McDermott. he also disclosed
that there will be other meetings"
between him and Mr.. Malik.
United States to Consult Allies.
From other sources it was learn
ed the United States intends to
talk with Britain and France
about whether the New York nego-
tiations have reached the point
where they should now be broad
ened to include not only Mr..
JeSsup and Mr.. Malik but also
of the other two
Western powers.
This means that authorities
here feel the Jessup- Malik con-
versations have made considerable
progress even though neither the
Russian or American Government
is yet actually bound to any agree
ment. That is what is meant by
the State Departments repeated
insistence that the talks are lex
ploratory."
The greatest hurdles were
crossed in two policy jumps taken
by the Soviet Union. The first
Of these came last Tuesday after
Mr.. Jessup and Mr.. Malik had
been going through their SLOW
moving diplomatic talk routine
for two months.
On Tuesday Tass News Agency
announced that Russia was ready
to lift the blockade of Berlin
provided the Western Allies would
simultaneously end their counter
blockade of the Soviet zone Of
Germany and would set a date
for a meeting of the four-power
Council of Foreign Ministers tol
reopen talks on all of Germany.
Soviet Blockade Blamed.
The Western powers had always
the counterblockade as
resulting only from the Soviet
action in Berlin. They had
always said they were willing to-
have another foreign ministers
once the Berlin blockade
was ended. Therefore the Tass
statement appeared to Western
officials like a Moscow admission
of defeat in the battle of Berlin.
MIR. Acheson had to make GER
tain. however. that the news
agency version did in fact repre-
sent. firm Kremlin policy. Mr..
Jessup was instructed to put the
question to Mr.. Malik in a talk
at New York Wednesday.
Mr.. Malik told him at that time
he was certain the Tass statement
accurately presented Russian poll
cy but the American query evil