THOUSANDS OF WEST BERLINERS TODAY (SATURDAY) STREAMED THROUGH THE WALL WHEN THE BARRIERS WERE LIFTED TO LET THEM VISIT RELATIVES IN THE CITY'S EASTERN SECTOR FOR CHRISTMAS.

WEST BERLIN OFFICIALS SAID MORE THAN 30,000 VISITORS AND MORE THAN 3,000 CARS CROSSED INTO EAST BERLIN DURING THE FIRST FOUR HOURS. IN THE 16 DAYS THE BARRIERS ARE OPEN, ABOUT 600,000 WEST BERLINERS ARE EXPECTED TO MAKE NEARLY A MILLION VISITS TO EAST BERLIN. BUT ONLY VISITS TO CLOSE RELATIVES ARE PERMITTED.

WHEN EAST BERLIN BORDER GUARDS RAISED THE BARRIERS AT SEVEN THIS MORNING, SOME PEOPLE HAD ALREADY BEEN WAITING TWO HOURS FOR THE GATES TO OPEN. THROUGH THEY STREAMED, IN THEIR THOUSANDS, LADEN WITH GIFTS OF EVERY KIND AND THE RAIN DID NOTHING TO DAMPEN THEIR SPIRITS.

IT IS THE FIRST TIME SINCE WHITSUN THAT WEST BERLINERS HAVE BEEN ALLOWED TO CROSS THE WALL ON SPECIAL VISAS. WHEN THE BARRIERS CLOSE ON JANUARY 2ND ANOTHER PASS AGREEMENT WILL NEED TO BE NEGOTIATED BETWEEN THE EAST GERMAN AND WEST BERLIN GOVERNMENTS.