German Democratic Republic 743



282. Telegram From the Mission at Berlin to the Department of
      State

                                     Berlin, February 4, 1960, 3 p.m.
    614. Paris for Embassy, USRO, CINCEUR, Thurston and Finn. Ref
Dept's G-80 to Bonn, Sept. 28,1959.1
    Mission is concerned by recent signs of diminution determination
within NATO family to prevent or at least deter increase in international
acceptance of "GDR". SovZone regime spokesmen have been quick to
spot such real or imagined tendencies within Western Alliance to ac-
commodate themselves to "existence of GDR," and ever since GDR
par-
ticipation in Geneva FonMin conference have been repeating to East
German population their claims of increasing international recognition.
These efforts have not been without some success and most observers of
SovZone scene agree growth of resignation in SovZone population has
correspondingly accelerated.
    Within past months these signs of Western slippage have signifi-
cantly increased. GDR has made important progress in reported Greek
agreement permit semi-scheduled Interflug flights into Athens (our
G-167 to Dept),2 SAS landings at East German Schoenefeld Airport
(ourtels 341 and 497 to Dept)3 and SAS charter Olympic flight from
Schoenefeld to Reno, Nevada. Provincial SovZone paper recently an-
nounced Danish Government has finally acceded to request from GDR
Ministry of Communication for establishment GDR travel bureau in
Copenhagen. Italian Government authorized approval issuance visi-
tor's visas to Politburo candidate Kurella and Neues Deutschland Chief
Editor Axen (ourtel 598 to Dept),4 as well as reportedly joining Greek
Government in permitting newly purchased, much publicized vacation
tour ship People's Friendship (formerly the Stockholm) to make scheduled
stops at Italian and Greek ports en route from Rostock to Black Sea.
French Govt was prepared permit GDR MinPres Grotewohl appear on
govt controlled TV network until FedRep intervened (ourtel 518 to
Dept).5 British have acceded to pressure from left-wing Laborite MPs
and permitted entrance leading SED propagandists Deter and Brasch in


    Source: Department of State, Central Files, 762B.02/2-460. Confidential.
Repeated to
London, Paris, Moscow, Rome, Athens, Copenhagen, and Oslo.
    1Airgram G-80 stated that official East German travel abroad was giving
the Ger-
man Democratic Republic increased political standing in some countries and
that there
was a need for quadripartite discussions to counter it. (Ibid., 033.62B/9-1959)
     Dated December 16, 1959. (Ibid., 962B.9281/12-1659)
     3Dated October 5 and December 5, 1959, respectively. (Ibid., 951.7262A/10-559
and
951.7262A/12-559)
    4Dated January 29, 1960. (Ibid., 862A.181/1-2960)
    5Dated December 11, 1959. (Ibid., 762B.00/12-1159)