§ 14. Mr. Shinwellasked the Lord Privy Seal what steps are being taken, apart from military protests, to avoid incidents on the border of East and West 401 Germany; and whether the United King-don Government have taken any action in the matter.
§ The Lord Privy Seal (Mr. Edward Heath)In their note on 25th June to the Soviet Government Her Majesty's Government, together with the United States and French Governments, proposed that the four Powers should examine means of preventing a recurrence of the incidents that have recently taken place on the sector border of Berlin. In our view, the Soviet Government have a clear responsibility to co-operate for the prevention of incidents provoked by the East German police and it is most regrettable that they should have turned down our suggestion in their reply of 14th July.
§ Mr. ShinwellIs not it obvious that, after this long period of time, all the negotiations that have taken place, and all the objections to the alleged intransigence of the Soviet Union and so on, the only solution to this problem of border incidents of this character is to recognise the East German Government? If there were recognition of the East German Government a solution would naturally follow and we should save ourselves a lot of expenditure in Berlin.
§ Mr. HeathNo, Sir. I cannot agree with the suggestion in the first part of the right hon. Gentleman's supplementary question or the implications of the second part. These are incidents which could perfectly well be dealt with by responsibility on the part of the East German Government and the Soviet Government, and we have suggested a perfectly reasonable and practical way of dealing with them.
§ Mr. MendelsonWhile agreeing that the inhuman barrier in Berlin is in itself a serious obstacle to any further agreement, may I ask whether the Lord Privy Seal would agree that the time has come when Her Majesty's Government together with the United States Government should resume talks with the Soviet Government on a general settlement of the problem of access to Berlin? Would not that be the best hope of getting agreement and avoiding incidents on the border in the future?
§ Mr. HeathTalks have been continued between the Soviet Government 402 and the United States Government, and Her Majesty's Government and other Powers concerned have been kept fully informed. No doubt there will be another opportunity at the meeting of the Foreign Ministers in Geneva in this forthcoming week for further talks to take place.
§ Mr. ShinwellIf the Soviet Government continue this alleged intransigence and refuse to adopt the suggestion of Her Majesty's Government, is not this trouble going to continue for a very long time, and would it not be worth while trying out what will become inevitable some day, that is, recognition of East Germany?