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DOCUMENTS ON GERMANY, 1944-59
outcome.1 Analogous statements were made also by the Governments
of other powers which are allies of the United States of America in
NATO. It would seem that after such statements the Government
of the United States of 'America ought also to have acted accordingly
by avoiding everything that could complicate the effectuation of the
understanding about the carrying out of the conferences.
In the.light of these facts the premeditated violations by American
planes of the existing procedure of air communications with Berlin
is difficult to evaluate otherwise than as an effort by the U.S. to worsen
conditions for the meeting of Ministers of Foreign Affairs, if not in
general to torpedo the understanding attained about the carrying out
-of negotiations between East and West.
- As for the Soviet Union, for its part not only will nothing be per-
mitted which could worsen the situation on the eve of negotiations,
but everything is being done to facilitate the conduct of these nego-
tiations. It goes without saying that the Soviet Government has
the firm intention right up to these negotiations to adhere to the exist-
ing procedure and established practice of communications along the
lines of communication between Berlin and West. Germany.
In calling the attention of the U.S. Government to the dangerous
character of the actions of the American authorities in Germany, the
Soviet Government would like to emphasize that the U.S. Govern-
ment will bear all responsibility for the violation of the conditions
of safety of air flights in the airspace of the German Democratic
Republic and the possible complications connected with this.
The Soviet Government expresses the hope that the U.S. Govern-
ment will adopt measures which would exclude the Possibility of com-
plications of this type and will for its part facilitate creation of a
favorable atmosphere for the conduct of negotiations between East
land West on urgent international questions, the solution of which is
being awaited by the peoples who are vitally interested in the preser-
vation and strengthening of peace.
Note from the American Embassy to the Soviet Foreign Ministry,
Rejecting Soviet Efforts to Limit the Height for Flights in the
Frankfurt-Berlin Air Corridor, April 13, 1959 2
The Embassy of the United States of America has been instructed
to reply as follows to the note of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of
the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, No. 25/OSA, dated April
4, 1959 protesting the routine flight of a United States aircraft in
the Frankfurt-Berlin air corridor on March 27.
The United States Government rejects the Soviet contention that
flights above 10,000 feet are precluded by regulations covering flights
in the corridors, and that the flight of the C-130 aircraft in question,
duly notified to the Soviet Element in accordance with established
practice, constituted a violation of presently existing rules. As stated
in letters of June 6 and September 8, 1958 from the United States
representative to the Soviet representative in the quadripartite Ber-
lin Air Safety Center, flights by aircraft of the United States do not
1 Statement made by Ambassador Llewellyn Thompson at the time of delivery
of the
U.S. note of Mar. 26 regarding the foreign ministers meeting on the problem
of Germany.
2 Department of State press release 265, April 1A, 1959.
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