Evening star., 1953-08-24
Russia Signs Pact
Making Concessions
To East Germany
~ ,ha A,soeiu,sd Pres.

MOSCOW, Aug. 24.-The So
Wet Union has made sweeping
concessions in a new pact with
East Germany. The Kremlin
agreed to exchange ambassa-
dors with the Soviet occupation
zone, end reparations after jan
uary /, cut occupation costs,
provide additional economic aid
and release some German war
prisoners.
A Joint communique announc-
ing the pact was issued yeSter-
day at the end of a four day
conference between top Russian
leaders. including Premier Geor-
gi Malenkov, and an East Ger
man delegation headed by Pre-
mier Otto Grotewohl.
western observers in Ger
many viewed the agreement as
an effort to prop up the wobbly
Grotewohl regime. It's pres
tige has been at low ebb since
the June II hunger riots in
the East zone.
(These observers also con-
sidered the pact an obvious
Russian attempt to undermine
the pro-Western government
of West German Chancellor
Konrad Adenauer. now locked
in a life-and-death election
campaign against the socialist
in preparation for the Sep
tember 6 parliamentary elec-
tionS)
MalenkOv Blasts Adenauer.
The announcement of the
new pact closely followed a per-
sonal attack on Mr.. Adenauer
by Premier Malenkov. The
Kremlin chief declared in a
radio broadcast the West Ger
man chancellor. who has IA
vored German rearmament and
close ties with the West, was
leading his country down the
road to war.
The Malenkov speech and
the communique also renewed
Soviet demands for a provisional
alderman government to pre-
pare for elections and eventual
German unity.
The communique. signed by
both Malenkov and Grotewohl,
disclosed seven major points in
the new treaty:
l. Diplomatic representation
in East Berlin and Moscow will
be raised to embassy level.
2. Soviet-run enterprises in
East Germany will be returned
to the East Germans.
3. Soviet occupation costs will
be reduced to a level of not more
than 5 per cent Of total East
German revenues.
Will Release Prisoners.
4. Russian authorities will take
measures to release German war
prisoners. Excluded from the
pardon will be those who COM
mitted particularly wicked crimes
against humanity"
5. East Germany'S debts to
Russia since the war will be
wiped out. -
6. Reparations payments to
Russia will end after next Jan
uary l. The amount still due
was listed at $2.537.0oo.0 900.
7. Russia will bolster the East
Germany economy with ship
ments of food, coal, steel and
other metals. cotton and other
goods worth $50 million rubles
($147la million at the official So
Wet exchange rate) and will ex-
tend credits of 485 million rubles
($12lH4 Million.
Of all the concessions. the re-
lease of more German war pris-
oners was expected to win the
warmest response in Germany.
The joint communique re-
peated the Kremlin'S previous
calls for direct East-West talks
on German unification. The
Communists said the talks
should set up a provisional gov
ernment over East and West
Germany. 1t would arrange
elections to be carried out with
out foreign interference.
Grotewohl, replying to Malen-
kov's speech before flying back
to Berlin yesterday, said: eve
are convinced that all the Ger
man people will support the
Soviet proposals to the Western
powers and will demand that
these proposals be carried out. "
Both leaders spoke at fare
well reception winding up the
round Of official functions which
had honored the German dele
cation after its arrival in the
Soviet capital last Tuesday.
Attacks on Adenauer Continue.
Moscow continued it's all-out
attempt to sway West German
voters against Mr.. Adenauer with
another violent attack today on
the Christian Democrat leader. A