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744 Foreign Relations, 1958-1960, Volume IX


actions which bode ill for interpretation by British of newly achieved tri-
partite agreement in London on GDR travel. Even we have felt obliged
to admit East German officials, such as Rudi Reichert, for Olympic
games.
    As seen from Berlin, Department's compelling statement in ref
message reviewing general question non-recognition of GDR and point-
ing out urgent need for &quot;forceful reaffirmation Allied policy&quot;
is even
more pertinent today. Perhaps presentation of tripartite travel agree-
ment to NATO following discussions with FedRep would be appropri-
ate time restate U.S. determination maintain this policy. Regardless of
date and place chosen, it seems essential and urgent such a forceful reaf-
firmation be made in order stop what appears to us as serious slippage
in NATO attitudes on this question.6
                                                              Lightner


    6On February 20, the Department of State informed the Mission at Berlin
that it
shared its concern. After pointing out that there had been no changes in
the East German
regime to warrant its acceptance, the Department stressed that the Federal
Republic, as
the most directly affected country, should take more vigorous steps to deal
with the prob-
lem. (Telegram 1812 to Bonn; ibid., 762B.02/2-460)


283. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in
      Germany

                              Washington, February 5, 1960, 8:14 p.m.

     1683. Deliver action officers Bonn, Berlin and Heidelburg eight a.m.
Feb. 6. Paris for USCINCEUR Thurston, Finn and USRO. Ref: Deptel
1657 to Bonn, rptd Berlin 372, London 5881, Moscow 1655, Paris 3266;
Bonn's 1463; Berlin's 614; Berlin's 616, rptd London 160, Bonn 538, Mos-
cow 179, Paris 173, POLAD USAREUR 71.1 Joint State-Defense mes-
sage.


    Source: Department of State, Central Files, 762.0221 /2-560. Secret;
Priority. Drafted
by McFarland; cleared with Kohler, Merchant, Hillenbrand, Calhoun, BNA, SOV,
WE, the
Department of Defense, and the JCS; and approved by Merchant. Also sent priority
to Ber-
lin and USAREUR Heidelberg and repeated priority to London, Paris, and Moscow.
    1 Telegram 614 from Berlin is Document 282. Telegram 1657, February 3,
informed
the Embassy in Bonn that instructions would soon be forthcoming on the question
of
passes. (Department of State, Central Files, 762.0221/2-160) Telegram 1463
from Bonn,
February 5, transmitted the text of MLM-015-60, February 4 and reported that
Soviet offi-
cials had stated that the old passes were invalid as of January 30 rather
than February 15.
(Ibid., 762.0221 /2-560) Telegram 616 from Berlin, February 4, reported the
same informa-
tion and added that an attempt to use the old passes had failed. (Ibid.,
762.0221/2-460)


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