62. Editorial Note
On June 7 the Soviet Union transmitted to the Embassies of the United States, the United Kingdom, and France in Moscow notes protesting “a series of dangerous provocations” by the West Berlin police and “Fascistic elements” against the German Democratic Republic. In particular the Soviet Union protested the firing by West Berlin police into the Soviet Sector. In their June 25 reply the Western powers stated that the West Berlin police were responding to shots fired by Eastern zone guards attempting to stop refugees from fleeing the Soviet Sector and noted that the difficulties in Berlin were due exclusively to East Berlin authorities acting with the full consent of the Soviet Union. For texts of the notes, see Department of State Bulletin, July 16, 1962, pages 97–99.