UNITED STATES REPLY TO SOVIET NOTE OF JULY 10 ALLEGING VIOLATIONS OF SOVIET TERRITORY BY UNITED STATES AIRCRAFT

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP62B00844R000200200003-8
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 12, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 10, 1999
• Sequence Number: 3
• Publication Date: July 19, 1956
• Content Type: PREL

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I @ ME ME
JULY 19, 1956
NO. 398
FOR RELEASE AT 7:00 P.M., E.D.T., THURSDAY, JULY 19, 1956.
NOT TO BE PR IOUSLY PUBL SHED, QUOTE D FROM, OR USED
1-N 1ANY WAY .
UNITED STATES REPLY TO SOVIET NOTE OF JULY 10
ALLE07NG VT_OLATIONS OF SOVIET TERRITORY BY UNITED STATES AIRCRAFT
Following is the text of a note delivered to the Soviet
Union today. It is in reply to the Soviet note of July 10,
1956 alleging violations of Soviet territory by United States
Air Force twin-engine medium bombers:
The Department of State has the honor to inform the
Embassy of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics that the
latter's note no. 23 of July 10, 1956 alleging violations of
Soviet territory by United States Air Force twin-engine medium
bombers coming from Western Germany, has received the most
serious consideration of the United States Government. It
is noted that the Soviet Government's note refers to "the
American Zone of Occupation in Western Germany". Attention
is called to the fact that there is no longer an American
Zone of Occupation in Western Germany. Presumably, the reference
is to the Federal Republic of Germany.
A thorough inquiry has been conducted and it has been
determined that no United States military planes based, or
flying, in or adjacent to the European area at the time of the
alleged overflights could possibly have strayed, as alleged,
so far from their known flight plans, which carefully exclude
such overflights as the Soviet note alleges. Therefore the
statement of the Government of the Soviet Union is in error.
The Department of State at the same time feels obliged
to comment on the accompanying statements in the Soviet Embassy's
note implying a plot to hinder the improvement of international
relations and insinuating that the alleged American Air Force
flights might have been arranged by General Twining in Germany,
following his visit to the Soviet Union. These remarks, which
are as obviously out of place as they are unwarranted, indeed
of themselves have the effect of hindering the improvement of
international relations.
Department of State,
Washington, July 19, 1956.
State--FD, Wash., D.C.
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Soviet Note No, 23
July 10, 1956
UNOFFICIAL TRANSLATION
The Embassy of the Union of the Soviet Socialist Republic presents
its compliments to the Department of State,
America and,. acting on instructions from
the honor to state the following:
Accord to precisely verified di
overnu ent, has
it of this year, at
8:18 a. m. Moscow time, a twin-engine median bomber of the United
States Aix For
ed from the American zone of occupation in
Western Germany and flew over the territory of the German Dernoc
Republic, entering the air space of the Soviet Union from the direction
of the Polish People's Republic at 9:35 in the area of Grodno. The air
craft which violated the air space of the Soviet Union flew on the routs
Minsk, Viyua, Kaunas and Kaliningrad, penetrating territory
Soviet Unfon to the depth of 320 kilometereet and remeeir nag over ouch
territory for one hour and 32 minuted.
On July 5 of this year, at 7:41 Moscow time, a twin.eee
bomber of the United Mate a Air Force
of occupatLon. in Western Germany, fleav
oviet
rem the American Zone
territory of the Gorman
Democratic Republic, and at 8.t 54 penetrated the air space of the Soviet
Union In the, area of Brest, coming from the direction of the Polish
People's Republic. The aircraft viols:
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Soviet Union flow along the route Brest, Pinsk, Baranovichi, Kaunas,
and Kaliningrad, having penetrated Soviet territory to a depth of 150
kilometers. and having remained one hour and 20 minutes over such
ritory. The same day another twin-engine bomber of the United St
Air Force invaded the air space of the Soviet Union an
significant depth over Soviet territory,
Ly 9 there took place new flights of United States aircraft
into the Soviet air space.
The above-mentioned violation of the air frontiers of the Soviet
Union by American aircraft cannot be interpreted as other than
intentional and conducted for purposes of reeconasaisance.
it must be underscored that these gross violations of the air
space of the Soviet Union took place at a time when,. is a result of the
d the Soviet Union and other peace-loving governments, a definite
g of international ten
lane has been achieved, when
ions
between governments are improving, and when mutual confidence between
them is growing. Such a development of international relations is fully
supported by the peoples of all countries who are vitally interested in
ngthening peac
One cannot, however
o recognize that reactionary circles
hostile to the cause of peace in a number of countries are worried by the
relaxation of international tension which has taken place. These circles
do ever tpp &c rgl'sll3iFi4'A2$(003-8
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relations between countries and the creation of mutual trust among them.
Among such attempts is the said gross violation by the American Air Force
of the air space of the Soviet Union, which consistently carries out a
policy of strengthening peace and broadening businesslike cooperation
with all countries, including the United States of America.
connection, the fact attracts attention that the said violation*
of the air frontier of the Soviet Union by American aircraft coincided with
the stay of General T
Federal Republic of
U. S. Air Fore* Chief of Staff, in the
The Soviet Government energetical,
the United States against such gross vtclaati
space of the Soviet
Union by American military aircraft and considers this violation an
intentional act of certain circles in the United States, p
:d to
aggravate relations between the Soviet Union and the United States
Ames rica.,
Ci
he attention of the Government of the United St , to
the inadmissibility of such violations of the air space of the Soviet
Union by American aircraft, the Soviet Government states that
usibility for possible consequences of such violations rests with
the Government of the United State
The Soviet Government expects that
Government of the United States to pun
be taken by the
y for the said
violations and to prevent such violations in the future.
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Washington, D. C. July 10, 1956
Deparwmnt of State
Washington, I3, C.
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