Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-07-13

tiers refused even to discuss
Mr.. Gromyko's proposal to
maintain the status quo in
West Berlin for Is months.
They insisted the Russians
must guarantee Western &C
cess to West Berlin until Ger
many is reunited.
During the conference recess
the Western ministers have
shed much of their pesSimism
about finding a way out of the
Berlin stalemate. Their eau
tious optimism apparently grew
out of Soviet denials that the
Gromyko proposal for a stand
still agreement was a trick to
deprive them of their rights
in Berlin when the agreement
expired.
Although / do not come
here with high hopes" Mr..
Herter said on his return yes
terday, Il believe it is possible,
with good will on both sides,
to reach an agreement"
Limited Agreement
Mr.. Couve de Murville de-
: clared that this time perhaps
: it will be possible to arrive at
limited concrete arrangement
on the problems before U.s."
Il have always believed" said
Mr.. Lloyd, that it is possible
to reach agreement on a GER
tain number of points. I still
believe this, and in that faith
will address myself to the
work Of the conference"
Only West German officials
still talked of the Western min
listers trying to negotiate an
overall I German settlement,
providing for identification and
an eventual peace treaty. United
States officials said they have
no hope now of getting into
! identification and European
security issues.
, Mr.. Gromyko was silent over
/ the week end after his return
but Frol Kozlov, First Deputy
Soviet Premier, said in New
: York that Russia's offer of an
l8-month stop-gap arrange
ment was still open. H..
Direct Negotiations
The Soviet plan calls for a
committee of West Germans
and Communist East Germans
! to negotiate directly on Ger
man reunification. If they
j, failed to reach a settlement in
, the l8-month period, the prob
: lem would revert to the Big
: -Four powers.
United States officials said
If Mr.. Gromyko gives salts
= factory assurances of nom
interference with the Western
position in Berlin during the
moratorium-as they. evidently
expect him to de-they are
prepared to consider that the
plan would lift the present So
Wet threat to West Berlin,
The last Western proposal. IL
i addition to the guarantee Of
, Western rights in Berlin, calls
, for a limitation on the size Of
! United States, British anc
! French forces in West Berlin
: and a curb on inflammatory
I propaganda and subversiye &C
: tivities in both West and East
Berlin.
t The three Western powers
+ now have about 1l,000 men ii
S West Berlin. The West of.
l fered to cut the number to ar
e agreed total. The Soviet!
4 talked about a force of only
e 3.000-4 900. There have. beer
g. reports the West might be will
ing to agree to cut to $500 men
A more serious. problem 70.
the West might lie in gettins
s Soviet acceptance Of the prin
: ciple that propaganda and sub
q version curbS should apply Il
e East Berlin as well as Yves
e Berlin, b
: still another problem is tn,
makeup of any committee o
D East and West Germans.
T. The West German govern
: tment is wholly opposed to &C
t ceptfng representatives of TIL
S German Communist regime On
a basis of equality of numbers
e as the Soviet government pro
: poses.