Evening star., 1949-06-05
Little Progress
on Berlin
In InParisParIey
Ministers Breok Up
After Az Hours in
Secret Session
BY the AsSociasad Press

PARIS. June -Four weary
foreign ministers broke tonight a
four -and-a-ha hour secret ses-
sion on uniting Berlin. and an
American source said a little
progress was made"
1T was Just o little" the in
formant added.
Western officials said there def
initeiy was an AREA of agree
ment" between Russia and the
West. but this concerned broad
general principals and could come
to nothing in consideration of
details.
Barely had the foreign ministers
broken up their formal meeting
at 8 pm. when Secretary of State
Dean Acheson and Soviet Foreign
Minister Andrei Vishinsky went
into a less formal huddle over
their dinner plates at the Ameri-
can embassy They were delayed
getting to their dinner by the
formal session-the longest the
foreign ministers have had yet.
Strictly Occs SION
At the end of the linner Mr.,
Vishinsky went straIs. hit to the
Russian embassy. When the
Americans came out one of them
said. 1T was strictly a social oc-
casion."
American Ambmassador David
K. Bruce was official host.
Charles Bchlen. Russian expert
in the State Department. and
vladimir Pavlov. Russian inter-
prefer. were at the elbows of their
chiefs.
French Foreign Minister Robert
Schuman left the four power
meeting before 1t was over to catch
a train for Lorraine. where he is
to make a speech tomorrow. Two
of his chief assistants followed
through at the meeting for him.
The meeting was the second OF
a series Of secret sessions. from
which reporters do not receive
a briefing by official observers. A
communique was issued saying:
THE foreign ministers. with
Secretary OF State Dean Acheson
In the chair. continued in closed
session today the discussion Of
the proposals Of the United States
and the U. S. s. r. relative to Ber-
lin. The next meeting will be
June 9 tMondayl'1
Same Topics as Yesterday.
Experienced observers inter-
preted the plan for the Monday
meeting In itself as meaning some
progress.
A French spokesman said the
meeting was less satisfactory
than yesterday. I'VE discussed for
o longer time today what we dis
cussed yesterday" he said.
This meant it was concerned
with the voting procedure and
powers of a revived Allied Kom-
mandatura, or governing body.
Mr.. Acheson has proposed a lin
itation of the veto in the Kom-
mandatura and has favored she'd
ding a large share of routine ad-
ministratiye responsibility upon q
German city government.
Western informants said the
area Of agreement" between
Russia and the West consisted
of this: Both sides accept the
broad principles that the Kom-
mandatura should be revived and
that new city-wide elections
should be held to choose an all
Berlin government.
Mr.. Acheson. British Foreign
Secretary Bevin and MIR. Schu-
man were also reported explor-
ing a hint dropped by Mr.
Vishinsky a few days ago that
he would consider giving more
power to such q government.
Token Of Cold War.
II only the question Of who
is to collect Berlin's garbage were
involved, the ministers might
come to q quick settlement. But
Berlin has become q token OF
who is winning the cold war,
and neither side wants to display
any weakness publicly.
Russia. knowing that she Is
out-voted by three Western
(See BIG FOUR, Page AID