Foreign Relations of the United States, 1955–1957, Central and Southeastern Europe, Volume XXVI

203. Telegram From the Mission in Berlin to the Embassy in Germany¹

Berlin, July 11, 1957—8 p.m.

32. Subject: Berlin access.

1. Allied political advisers met with Kotsiuba this afternoon. Despite apparent anxiety of Kotsiuba to resolve issues prior to his departure for Moscow (which has been postponed until end of next week), basic problem of leave travel remained unsolved during lengthy and repetitious discussion. This is preliminary report which will be supplemented by fuller tripartitely-agreed account after further discussion with British and French tomorrow.²

2. Apart from reiterating much of what he said during June 1 meeting, Kotsiuba made following new points: (a) Soviets consider travel order as merely document establishing right of person to be processed by Soviet control officers at checkpoints and not as adequate authority in itself to validate right of individuals to travel to Berlin. Soviets apparently are thinking in terms of their own practice which involves separate documentation for mode of travel and right to travel. (b) Except for persons connected with occupation of Berlin, Soviets would be willing to have Kommandirovka appear on reverse side of travel order if this would simplify procedure from Allied point of view.

3. After detailed presentation by British chairman political adviser Ledwidge along lines of revised tripartite paper in Embtel 08 to Dept,³ Kotsiuba noted that not all questions raised by Soviets during June 1 meeting had been answered. He then launched into explanation which, for first time, clearly made point in para 2(a) above. Travel order merely answered question regarding kind of transportation being used and, in case of car, proved that bearer was owner thereof. Therefore he could not agree that travel order should be labeled Kommandirovka and requested that heading remain as in sample documents given to him during June 1 meeting.

4. As far as personnel stationed in Berlin were concerned he could understand how Commandants’ stamp (preferably translated into Russian) would apply to civilian personnel. But he queried how Soviets could be expected to know that military personnel, bearing military ID documents, were actually members of Berlin garrison. This was why at June 1 meeting he had laid emphasis on having separate piece of paper identifying bearer as member of occupying forces in Berlin. In response to statement by British political adviser that travel orders signed by Commandant should be adequate proof that person is stationed in Berlin, Kotsiuba indicated this would not be satisfactory for military personnel. He added that small stamp on ID documents of military personnel would suffice indicating they were stationed with forces in Berlin.

5. Sample Ambassadors’ stamp which had been given him seemed generally satisfactory except that it should be issued only for specific trip and labeled Kommandirovka.

6. After point had been made that Allies felt that stamp in passport was evidence of continuing right to come to Berlin issued under authority of Ambassador, which had been recognized by Pushkin, to send official personnel to Berlin as and when he wished, Kotsiuba said that such permanent stamp should be issued only to members of occupation in Berlin. Ambassador should authorize personnel only for single trip, even though period for such single trip not limited in duration.

7. As to travel orders issued by Allied Commanders in Chief Western Germany, he stressed again that military personnel stationed in Western Germany would legitimately come to Berlin for only two purposes: (a) on transfer to Berlin as member of Berlin garrison, (b) on duty travel to carry out specific assignments. No limits, however, would be set on numbers or ranks of personnel so assigned.

8. Kotsiuba then proposed that, in interests of simplification, he could agree that reverse side of travel orders contain Ambassadors’ stamp. He later said this would also apply to Kommandirovka to be issued by Commanders in Chief Western Germany. However, stamps issued by Commandants, since they were of permanent nature, should appear in passports.

9. It was made clear to Kotsiuba that political advisers could only report his additional proposals to their superiors. In meantime they assumed no new procedures would be introduced, and that present forms would continue in use. Kotsiuba said that he hoped entire matter could be settled before end of next week when he left for Moscow. Political advisers said they would communicate with his office as soon as instructions received.

Gufler

1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 762.0221/7–1157. Confidential; Priority. Repeated to London, Moscow, Paris, and Washington. The source text is the Department of State copy.
2. Transmitted in despatch 37 from Berlin, July 15. (Ibid., 762.0221/7–1557)
3. See footnote 2, supra.