TALKS AT MOSCOW

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 59, Issue 225, 6 July 1939, Page 5

TALKS AT MOSCOW

REPLY BY RUSSIA RECEIVED.

QUESTIONS IN THE COMMONS.

SOVIET’S DESIRE DOUBTED,

(United Press Association —Copyright. (Received This Day, 11.20 a.m.) LONDON, July 5.

Mr !N(. Chamberlain stated in tho House of Commons that the Soviet reply 'regarding a non-aggression pact had boon received yesterday and was 'being considered in consultation with Franco.

In official circles it is expected that fresh instructions ,to the British Ambassador (Sir William Seeds) and tho French Ambassador (M. Naggiar) will be dispatched before to-morrow evening at tho earliest.

It is assumed that Cabinet, which met twice to-day, was concerned, among other matters, with the negotiations at Moscow. Mr Chamberlain’s statement in the House of Commons gave rise to the following exchange of questions and answers :

Dr. Dalton (Labour): Is it true, as stated in the press to-day, that one of tlie outstanding difficulties relates to new proposals put forward by the Government for the further extension of the list of States to he guaranteed? v

Mr Chamberlain.; I do not think it desirable to enter into details of what differences are yet unsolved. It would be a mistake to suppose that difficulties arise from one side only. Dr. Dalton: These negotiations have now been dragging on for three months. Does the Premier realise that he has been treated, with great forbearance in the House and country ? Mr R. A, Pillrington (Conservative for Widnes): la Mr Chamberlain aware that there is beginning to grow in this country doubt whether the Soviet wantSythis treaty? Mr S. V. Adams (Conservative for Leeds West) asked if the Government had considered sending a Cabinet Minister to Moscow. No further answer was given by Mr Chamberlain. —British -. Official Wireless.

NEW PROPOSALS BY FRANCE.

MEETING LATEST OBJECTIONS.

Britain considers a plan.

LONDON, July 5

A Paris message says that’ the Foreign Office to-day is; sending to the French Ambassador in London (M. Corbin) new proposals for submission to Britain to meet Russia’s- latest objection. ■ >,,C • :

; The Soviet’s new demands took France by surprise, not being compatible with the favourable report received after M. Molotov’s interview with 31. Naggiar and Sir William Seqds on Saturday. . . - ■ -

The French newspapers unanimously denounced the continued dragging out of the negotiations. “Pertinax,” the well-known commentator of the “Echo do Paris,” declares that 3lr Chamberlain bungled the talks from tho beginning, and suggests that someone not connected with the Munich settlement should proceed to 3loscow to speak direct with M. Stalin. * Sections of the press affirm that 3108cow is raising the price every time Herr Hitler puts the democracies in a sweat over Danzig.

The Foreign Affairs Committee of the British Cabinet considered tho practicability of proposing to 31oscow an immediate tbree-Power assistance treaty, operating qnly in the event of direct aggression upon one of the parties. “The Times,” in an editorial, says that the Baltic States must admit that Russia might have over-run them at any time in the last 20 years, but she had not made any such attempt, if Germany and Russia went to war the Baltic States would inevitably be drawn in, for the command of the Baltic would be tho principal objective of both parties. The ports of the maritime- States would be prizes of incalculable value which each belligerent would be determined to win.