WILL NOT ATTEND

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 136, 6 December 1939, Page 11

WILL NOT ATTEND

FINNISH APPEAL SAID TO BE UNWARRANTED

NO THREAT OF WAR

LACK OF RESPECT FOR SOVIET

(By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright.) LONDON, December 5. The Russian Prime Minister, M. Molotov, has informed the SecretaryGeneral of the League of Nations, M. Avenol, that the Soviet Union will not participate in the meeting of the Council of the League on Saturday. j M. Molotov's message to the League states that the Soviet Union | considers the convocation of the Council on the appeal of the Finnish delegate, /Dr. Holsti, to be unwarranted. It adds that the Soviet is not in a state of war with Finland and floes not threaten the Finnish people with war. Consequently, invocation of Article 11 (for common action against an aggressor) is not justified. The Soviet has a pact with the People's Democratic Government of Finland which regulates all questions on which it was impossible to negotiate" with the former Finnish Government. The People's Democratic Government appealed to the Soviet on December 1 for military aid in order 'to liquidate the war danger created by the former Finnish Government. Dr. Holsti's appeal is illegal, since the persons for whom he speaks are not the true representatives of the Finnish j people. The Soviet therefore cannot participate in the Council or Assembly, the convocation of which is irreconcilable with respect for the Soviet Union. "The Times" says that despite M. Molotov's statement, M. Souritz, Russian Ambassador, in Paris, yesterday participated in discussions o! the Budget committee of the League Assembly, at which the Polish and Finnish delegates were present. If Russia is ousted from the League, it will be the first tjme in the League's history that such action has been taken by member States against another.