– The legal status of the western sectors of Berlin does not change: they remain in the authorities of the three powers that share with the USSR for the city as a whole and, as in the past, they are not considered part of the Federal Republic. At the same time, the Soviet Union formally agreed that vital relations between West Berlin and the Federal Republic of Germany should be maintained and developed. The ambassadors spent five minutes scratching their signatures on the four official leather texts – each of them signed and paraphrased the contract and its annexes about five times. The connection of the American text was blue and gold, that of Soviet purple, British red and French gold-red. The section had the effect of restricting the sovereignty of the GDR over access routes. The Communists of East Germany received however for the first time Western recognition in the pact of the four powers: the name of their state, the German Democratic Republic, appeared seven times in the document. U.S. Ambassador Rush recommended to National Security Adviser Henry Kissinger that negotiations take « no more than two weeks off » in accordance with Secretary Rogers` request. President Nixon`s philosophy was that issues related to the division of Germany were of natural and direct importance to all European powers. That is why all those responsible – the United States, the United Kingdom, France and the USSR – should recognize the inevitability of a divided Berlin and work on this basis for a constructive relationship. The agreement was scheduled for yesterday`s signing, but it has been agreed to resolve translation disputes until today.
The phrase « Transitverkehr » was one of many that caused at the last minute delays in different German translations into Russian for East Germans and English for West Germans. These and other disputes were resolved today at 10:30 a.m. .M. in the interest of the West. The Nixon administration considered that the resolution of concrete issues that divide Europe was the priority of a successful foreign policy of détente – the easing of hostility or tensions between countries through negotiation rather than confrontation. One of these topics focused on 20 years of disagreement over the ideal solution for Berlin. The ideal solution for the Berlin question was reunification, but in the face of tensions between all those responsible, it was simply not possible. – The Soviet guarantee of unfettered and preferential civilian traffic between the western sectors of Berlin and the Federal Republic of Germany is a central fact of the agreement and a substantial improvement.