CONFERENCE CRISIS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 76, 11 January 1936, Page 5

CONFERENCE CRISIS

LEAD GIVEN BY BRITAIN, FURTHER DISCUSSION LIKELY. EVENT OF JAPAN'S WITHDRAWAL United Press Association--Copyright) LONDON, January 9. In connection with the Nayal Conference well-informed circles say it is unlikely that the other delegations will raise objection to the Japanese proposal. The British delegation, agreeing to further discussion, has given a lead which the others can scarcely refuse to follow. It is considered not unlikely that the next meeting of the conference will finally determine the position of Japan, but the Conference may continue on a Four-Power basis as substantial agreement has already been reached on a number of points.

JAPANESE MAY WITHDRAW. NAVAL LIMITATION ISSUE. LONDON, January 10. At the meeting of the First Committee of the Naval Conference to-day, the plans submitted by; the French, British, and Italian delegations respectively, for the quantitative limitation of naval armaments by the notification and exchange of building programmes will be further examined. At the meeting yesterday they were received favourably by the United States delegation, but the Japanese delegate is understood to have criticised the quantitative features of the plans and to have refused to discuss the qualitative questions. A further Japanese pronouncement will, it is understood, be made to-day, and the newspapers state that if it indicates that the Japanese delegates will not discuss any agreement that does not embody a common upper limit —to which the other delegations are opposed—it may be regarded that a critical stage in the conference is approaching. "The Times" says that even if this should result in the withdrawal of the Japanese delegation from the conference, it does not necessarily follow that the conference would at once disperse. It is probable that the other delegations will seek to conclude an agreement among themselves upon lines on which there would seem to be a large measure of agreement already and containing a saving clause permitting modification in the event of undue developments elsewhere.

The informal discussions this afternoon, which were most friendly, and lasted for an hour and a-half, were to consider the future procedure of the conference. The Japanese delegates expressed a desire that the discussions should revert to the subject of quantitative limitation, pur© and simple, and consequently it was agreed that the best plan would be to postpone the next meeting of the First Committee until Monday. In the meantime, soundings are to be taken amongst the other delegations to ascertain whether they would be prepared to acquiesce in this proposal. Informal conversations will consequently take place to-morrow with the other Powers' delegates.

FRIENDLY CONVERSATION.

JAPANESE AND BRITISH MEET

LONDON, January 8

Informal discussions in connection with, the Naval Conference took place between British and Japanese delegations this afternoon. The conversations, which were most friendly and lasted an hour and a half, were undertaken with a view to considering the future procedure of the Conference. The Japanese delegates expressed a desire that the discussions should revert to the subject of quantitiye limitation, pure and simple, and in view of this expression of opinion it was agreed that the best plan would be to postpone until Monday the meeting of the first committee fixed for to-morrow. In the meantime soundings will be taken among the other delegations to ascertain whether they would be prepared to acquiesce in this proposal.—British Official "Wireles. THE ATTITUDE OF FRANCE. THE EXCHANGE OF PROGRAMME

PARIS, January 0. A Foreign Office spokesman states that if Japan withdraws France will bo agreeable to a Four-Power Conference with a view to working out a plan for the exchange of building programmes.