Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-02-03

that we have no aggressive de-
signs against each other"
As far as the concrete inter-
national problems touched upon
in your message are concerned.
I am convinced. as before, that.
along with the problem of dis
armament. the most important
is the problem of guaranteeing
European security.
At the Geneva meeting of the
Foreign Ministers in the fall of
1885 the Government of the So
Wet Union introduced a number
of concrete proposals for the
solution of this problem. AS be-
fore. the Soviet Government con-
Isiders that the problem of an
defective guarantee Of security in
Europe may best be solved on
the basis of establishing a single
Iall-European system Of collec-
tive security.
Tried to Meet West
In our proposals we also tried
to meet halfway the wishes of
the three Western powers on
many important questions. and
we also took into consideration
concrete ideas in that field which
were brought forward by the
Representatives of the Western
powers during our meeting at
Geneva. The proposals of the
Soviet Government to guarantee
European security also take full
account of the important role
which the United States of
America plays in the solution OF
European affairs.
However, the governments OF
the three powers did not agree to
our proposals and opposed them
with a plan that would tend to
re establish militarism in all
Germany and in addition provide
flor the inclusion Of a united
Germany in a closed military
bloc created by the Western
powers. It is not difficult to un-
derstand that such a plan can
not serve as a basis for solving
the question of guaranteeing
genuine security in Europe and
flor settling the German problem.
In as much as in the postwar
period in Europe there arose
land were consolidated two Ger
man states having different So
cial and economic systems and
developing in different ways, the
Iproblem of establishing unified
Germany as a peace-loving and
democratic state cannot, OF
course, be solved without an
appropriate agreement between
the Germans themselves - be-
tween the German Democratic
Republic and the German Fed
Ieral Republic.
At the same time. / am con-
WINGED that the naturalization OF
Soviet-American relations and.
in particular. such step as the
conclusion of a treaty Of friend
ship and cooperation. between
the USSR and the USA. would
be of great positive significance
also in establishing the neces-
sary prerequisites for the solu-
ton of the German problem.
Matter Of Free Choice
With regard to your remark
concerning the right Of the ma
tons to choose the form Of gov
Iernment under which they wish
to live. it is necessary to say that
the Soviet Union has always
maintained. and maintains at
the present time the principle
that the internal system In any
state is the domestic concern OF
its own people. We expect that
other powers will also be guided
by 1t in their international rela-
tons.
In your communication you
also touch upon the important
Iproblem OF the development Of
contacts between the East and
the West. We are entirely in ac-
cord with you on the Importance
Iof these contacts. 1t was for this
very reason that the Soviet
Union submitted at the Foreign
Ministers meeting in the fall OF
last year a proposal designed to
remove the barriers hindering
the development of normal COM
mercial and economic relations
and broaden contacts in the field
lof culture. science. art. sport,
tourism, etc. We were all pleased
to note that definite agreement
was noticeable at the meeting on
this question. At the last mo-
ment, however, certain demands
were advanced by the delegations
Iof the United States of America
and other Western powers. which
were contradictory to the direc-
Itives given by you and me. and
Iby Mr.. Eden and M. Faure to
our foreign ministers. The Soviet
Government could not accept
these new demands, since they
ienvisaged direct interference in
the internal affairs of sovereign
states.
End Iron Curtain
Unfortunately, the practical
measures Of the. Soviet Union for
the development of contracts be-
tween our countries In particular
by means OF an exchange Of
delegations. are encountering
serious obstacles on the Ameri-
can side.
| I believe that by joint effort
we shall succeed in liquidating
the so-called Iron Curtain and
lin creating conditions for a wide
development of personal con-
facts between the citizens of our
countries.
/ permit myself to express the
hope that you on your part share
this opinion.
On this question. the conclu-