Mar. 21, 1963 - President Kennedy said today he hoped to visit Communist-encircled Berlin during his trip to West Germany later this year. The President’s statement at his news conference came at a time when State Department officials were preparing for talks with Russia on the status of the troubled city. The issue of Berlin, which several times has brought the two great nuclear powers to the brink of war, was sidetracked last fall by the Cuban crisis. U.S. diplomats preparing for the talks on Berlin are believed to feel that Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev is too busy with other matters now to want any more Berlin troubles. Furthermore, Mr. Kennedy’s firm stand on the question of Soviet missiles in Cuba last fall is believed to have convinced Mr. Khrushchev the U.S. also means business in Berlin.
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