Berlin: Soviet Natural Gas Supply to West Berlin

A file containing documents relating to the supply of natural gas from the Soviet Union to West Berlin. Subjects covered in the file include inaccurate information on the project leaked to the Berlin media; the start of talks between Soviet, East German, West German, and West Berlin representatives; the start of talks without regard for Allied rights and responsibilities, causing particular difficulties for relations between West Germany and the United States; and the requirement for an underground storage reservoir in West Berlin to hold a year's supply of gas. Other subjects discussed in the file include the desire to replace expensive "town gas" in West Berlin; a parallel project to supply Soviet gas to Western Europe; the need to identify and avoid sensitive questions of sovereignty in the negotiations; and the West German enthusiasm for completing the negotiations in spite of Allied objections.