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238           DOCUMENTS ON GERMANY, 1944-59
persist in refusing to apply these principles to the German people,
too?
DIPLOMATIC NEGOTIATIONS INSTEAD OF LETTER-WRITING
I should like to confine myself today to these remarks which, I
believe, can contribute to clarifying our respective points of view. I
should like to express the desire, and hope that we should all be able
to make up our minds to end the public exchange of letters which
does not seem to me the appropriate method of clarifying fundamen-
tal differences of opinion.
We have unfortunately had the experience in the past few years
that no progress can be achieved in this way * * *.
For this very reason * * * I suggest that we should more than
hitherto make use of the proven possibilities of diplomatic negotiations
in order to explain our standpoints and to prepare in this way for a
removal of existing difficulties. In agreement with its allies the
Federal Government therefore considers it useful to exploit to the
fullest extent the possibilities inherent in diplomatic contacts. Inter-
national conferences the necessity of which is beyond question have in-
comparably greater chances of leading to success if they are prepared
carefully through diplomatic channels than if they are preceded by
polemic correspondence which can only serve to stifle and nascent
germs of confidence * *
I would therefore sincerely welcome your agreement to my pro-
posal to begin diplomatic talks which perhaps at a conference of
Foreign Ministers could be brought to the point where the heads of
government would face clear decisions perhaps between alternatives.
The situation is so grave that we should seize every suitable means
which offers us a chance to find constructive solutions. We owe it
to our nations and future generations to leave nothing undone to
bring about a lasting peace.
Communique on Conversations Between Secretary of State Dulles
and Mayor Brandt of Berlin, February 10, 19581
The Secretary of State received the Governing Mayor of Berlin at
3:00 P.M., February 10. The Mayor thanked him in the name of the
people of Berlin for the American help which had constituted so
essential a contribution to the strengthening of the cultural and eco-
nomic life of free Berlin.
Mayor Brandt spoke of the need of Berlin for continuing economic
and financial aid so that this outpost of freedom can continue to play
its vital role.
The Secretary of State assured the Mayor that in view of the city's
unique position and its significance to the rest of the world, Berlin is
of deep concern to the United States. Moreover, the security and
welfare of the city and its continued progress are of direct interest to
this Government as stated on many occasions in the past.
The Secretary of State emphasized, in particular, the policy of this
Government to assure unimpaired access for both persons and goods
1 Department of State press release 61, February 10, 19568