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DOCUMENTS ON GERMANY, 1944-5 9
May 27, 1952. They will do all in their power to improve conditions
in Berlin and to promote the economic welfare of the city.
*        *       *        *       *        *       *1
The three Governments remain ready to take advantage of any fur-
ther opportunity which may arise to promote, by renewal of the con-
tacts established at Berlin or by other means, a solution of the Ger-
man and Austrian problems.
The three Ministers explained and reaffirmed the purely defensive
character of Western security arrangements.
Offers were made to discuss how the undertakings which already
protect the Soviet Union against aggression could be reinforced. The
Soviet delegation made no response to these offers. Their own pro-
posals would have involved the dissolution of the Wes-tern security
system, while the military power of the Soviet bloc in Europe re-
mained intact. The three Powers do not intend to be deflected from
their efforts to develop the system of defense on which their survival
depends.
Joint Declaration by the Allied High Commission, on the Status
of East Germany, April 8, 19541
The Allied High Commission desires to clarify the attitude of the
governments which it represents toward the statement issued on March
25 by the Soviet Government, purporting to describe a change in its
relations with the Government of the so-called German Democratic
Republic. This statement appears to have been intended to create the
impression that sovereignty has been granted to the German Demo-
cratic Republic. It does not alter the actual situation in the Soviet
Zone. The Soviet Government still retains effective control there.
The three governments represented in the Allied High Commission
will continue to regard the Soviet Union as the responsible power for
the Soviet Zone of Germany. These governments do not recognize
the sovereignty of the East German regime which is not based on free
elections, and do not intend to deal with it as a government. They
believe that this attitude will be shared by other states, who, like
themselves, will continue to recognize the Government of the Federal
Republic as the only freely elected and legally constituted government
in Germany. The Allied High Commission also takes this occasion
to express the resolve of its governments that the Soviet action shall
not deter them from their determination to work for the reunification
of Germany as a free and sovereign nation.
Declaration by the Western Foreign Ministers, on Berlin, October
22, 19542
THREE-POWER DECLARATION ON BERLIN
With respect to Berlin, in addition to the Allies' security guarantees
for the city in the London communique of October 3, 1954, the Foreign
Department of State Bulletin, April 19, 1954, p. 588.
2 Senate Executives L and M, &3d Congress, 2d Session, p. 171.
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