Friday, Oct. 05, 1962

Two-Man Summit Predicted

Expectation is increasing that Moscow intends to sign a separate peace treaty with its East German stooges, perhaps before the end of the year, thus provoking a new crisis in West Berlin. This is what prompted Defense Secretary Robert S. McNamara, just back from a quick, two-day inspection trip to West Germany, to publicly remind Nikita Khrushchev that the U.S. intends to use nuclear arms, if necessary, to defend its "vital interest" of access to the city.

The U.S. may soon give the same message to Khrushchev personally. West Berlin Mayor Willy Brandt, on his way to talks with President Kennedy, claimed to have "private information" that Khrushchev will visit the United Nations General Assembly next month and take the opportunity to seek a summit session with the President.

Meanwhile, the Soviets stepped up their harassment of Allied traffic to West Berlin. A U.S. troop convoy was held up on the Autobahn; three times in two days Soviet MIG fighters buzzed unarmed Allied planes in the 20-mile Frankfurt-Berlin air corridor. Said one Western official: "It's part of what we call their 'weekly reminder' that they're around. They don't like too much time to go by without letting us know they still have a grip on Berlin."

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