Memorandum, State Department Summary of Telegrams

OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE the DECLASSIFIED WASHINGTON E.O. 12065, Sec. 3-402 1982 State DER Dept. Guidelines, NLT, Date March 9-10-85 6, September 11, 1952 By SECRET SECURITY INFORMATION SUMMARY OF TELEGRAMS BERLIN: The Western Commandants in Berlin met yesterday to consider possible courses of action to be taken in view of the latest Soviet interferences with Allied traffic on the autobahn between Berlin and Western Germany. At Ambassador Donnelly's suggestion, General Mathewson proposed that con- sideration be given to providing MP relief personnel with a mili- tary escort (armed troops in a truck preceded by a jeep with a Russian-speaking officer). This officer would make it clear to the Soviets and the East German police that the troops had a right to proceed via autobahn and were prepared to insist on that right. General Mathewson stated, in response to a query by the French Commandant as to what would happen if the troops were stopped by the Soviets, that his orders to the troop commander would be to proceed, using force if necessary. Both the British and the French Commandants said they considered this a "very dangerous" course of action, since it might lead to a pitched battle or to Soviet action to deny the entire autobahn to all Allied troops, whether MP's or not. Both said they would have to consult their high commissioners be- fore agreeing to such action. EGYPT: Mr. Steele, the Counsellor of the British Embassy, called on the Department, Tuesday, to express his government's concern over our failure to consult with the British on the press statement which the Department made early this week, which extended to General Naguib the approbation the Secretary had expressed last week for ex-Prime Minister Ali Maher. (The British fear that the Egyptian Government under General Naguib's direct control may turn extremist, a fear which the Department and Embassy Cairo do not share.) Mr. Steele asserted that Egypt was constantly striving to drive a wedge between the British and Ameri- cans, and this instance illustrated a tactic which might now be ex- ploited. He said that in view of the apparent difference in as- sessments of the Egyptian situation in London and Washington the two governments might have issued separate press statements with a very different tone. SECRET SECURITY INFORMA' TION