THE BERLIN SITUATION

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79R00904A000500010023-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 8, 2006
• Sequence Number: 23
• Publication Date: November 2, 1959
• Content Type: MF

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2 November i959
1. The Board discussed the Berlin situation this morning,
and came to the following conclusions. Admittedly these are
somewhat tentative -- not all the available evidence supports
them. Nevertheless, on balance the Board believes:
(a) th.t the Soviets have now given up,aat least
for the time being, their attempt to force the West cut
of Berlin;
(b) that Kh ushchev feels that even though he has
failed to get the West out of Berlin, he has achieved
various secondary aims -- namely, to loosen up the
d 'somatic situation, visit the US, and improve
prospects for a summit conference;
(c) that Khrushchev would now like to put Berlin
into the background for a while, preferably by distracting
world attention on to problems of disarmament4 At present
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it is not the USSR but the West, and especially the
US, which is keeping the Bcrlin issue vigorously alive
and prominently on the agenda of prospective conferences.
2. The Board believes that this quiescent phase of
Soviet policy respecting Berlin is only temporary, though
it may last for another year or two. The Soviets probably
believe that a deepening of the Berlin crisis, in an effort
to "settle" the problem now, would involve too many risks.
But the Soviets will without doubt reopen the issue at some
time in the fairly near future.. They are almost certainly
confident that their bargaining position will iml-.7?ove as
time goes on.
ABBOT SMITH
Acting Chairman
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