§ 31. Mr. A. Hendersonasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement on the recent incidents in Berlin affecting the relations between 1186 the British, American and French authorities on the one hand and the Russian authorities on the other hand.
§ Mr. EdenThe major incidents which have occurred are the Soviet action to stop British and American patrols on the autobahn and the Soviet occupation of the road connecting the group of houses at Eiskeller with the British Sector, to which it belongs.
Letters have been exchange with General Chuikov about the autobahn patrols, and a reply is being prepared to his latest letter. Meanwhile, our patrols are being denied access to the autobahn.
We, for our part, have denied to the Russians and their German employees access to the Soviet-controlled radio building in the British Sector. Since the Russians have now freed the Eiskeller road, we have restored freedom of entry to the radio building, subject to the requirement that East German employees obtain passes for entry.
§ Mr. HendersonIn view of the fact that this unsatisfactory situation forms part of the wider German problem, would not the right hon. Gentleman agree that the sooner the proposed Four Power Conference takes place, the better? In that connection, can the right hon. Gentleman say when the Government propose to send a reply to the last Russian note?
§ Mr. EdenThat is entirely a different question. Our conversations, if they take place, are about free German elections. The Question deals with the situation in Berlin, which I think is not unsatisfactory, because it shows that as the result of our taking firm action we have received some satisfaction from the Soviet Government.
§ Mr. HendersonI was not suggesting that Her Majesty's Government had acted unsatisfactorily. Surely, the right hon. Gentleman would agree that this pin-pricking on the part of the Russian authorities is extremely unsatisfactory.
§ Mr. EdenIt is unsatisfactory, but the right hon. and learned Gentleman would agree that I can have no responsibility for the pin-pricks that are inflicted. Our duty is to maintain our rights and responsibilities firmly in the face of the pin-pricks. This we have done in this instance, with, I think, quite satisfactory results, and I am sure that it is the right process to be 1187 firm and unprovocative in all these matters.
§ Mr. J. AmeryWhat is the position about the Russian war memorial in the Western Sector, where, I understand, Russian sentries kidnapped a West German person a fortnight or so ago?
§ Mr. EdenIf my hon. Friend would be good enough to put that question down, I will give him an answer.
§ Mr. HendersonThe right hon. Gentleman has not answered the last part of my supplementary question: when do the Government propose to send a reply to the last Russian note?
§ Mr. EdenThat is an entirely different question to the one on the Paper. It is a very important question, and I should be obliged if the right hon. and learned Gentleman would put it on the Paper. I should hope that the answer would be delivered quite soon, but I should like to have notice of that.