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TOP SECRET TOP SEORET Rec'd 9-27-48 Copy DECLASSIFIED TO: THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES E. O. 11652, Sec. 3(E) and 5(D) or (E) ABOARD PRESIDENTIAL SPECIAL PRESS RELEANE 9-26-48 Dept. of State Aug-2-1973 No. 779 By NLT- H . NARS Date 5-22-75 NR : WHITE ONE ZERO SEVEN DTG: 270010 Z State Department delivered to Soviet Ambassador here 6:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time reply to the Soviet note received yesterday. Lovett says this note and "white paper" prepared by the Department covering the Moscow negotiations and including text of the Soviet note yesterday, are being released to the press at midnight. Am sending you copy of the white paper to you in pouch leaving here tonight. Text of the reply delivered to the Soviet Embassy tonight follows: His Excellency "NATIONAL AND RECORDS : SERVICET Alexander S. Payushkin, Ambassador of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. The Acting Secretary of State presentshis compliments to His Excellency, the Ambassador of the .Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, and has the honor to transmit the following communication; 1. The Governments of the United States, France and the United Kingdom, conscious of their obligations under the charter of the United Nations to settle disputes by peaceful means, took the initiative on July 30, 1948, in approaching the Soviet Government for informal discussions in Moscow in order to explore every possibility of adjusting a dangerous situation which had arisen by reason of measures taken by the Soviet Government directly challenging the rights of the other occupying powers in Berlin. These measures, persistently pursued, amounted to a blockade of land and water transport and com- munication between the Western Zones of Germany and Berlin which not only endangered the maintenance of the forces of occupation of