STRICT SECRET

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 66, Issue 59, 19 December 1945, Page 3

STRICT SECRET

DISCUSSIONS IN MOSCOW CO-OPERATION BY GREAT POWERS (N.Z. Press Association —Copyright.) (Rec. 11.0 a.m.) LONDON, Dec. 18. Both the British and American delegations made it quite clear that tlie British and American public will be told a minimum about proceedings in Moscow, reports Reuter’s; Discussions and the agenda are being kept a strict secret, but there may be occasional official reports. A second meeting of the Foreign Ministers lasted two hours, twenty minutes, and was described as an exchange of views.” The Moscow periodical, “New Times,” in a leading article broadcast in English by Moscow radio said: “To doubt the necessity of the Big Three is to doubt the necessity for stability and co-operation between the Great Powers of the United Nations in the interest of all peace-loving nations, big and small.” Referring to the talk of the abolition of national sovereignty, the article continued: “To talk about a future Federation of States on these lines is one thing, hut to talk of a world federation led by British Conservatives and American Middle-west isolationists is quite another. It should not be forgotten that the label of the world federation not infrequently disguises unfounded claims of certain Great Powers to a leading role in world affairs. It is significant that they claim to want to perfect the United Nations’ Charter adopted at San Francisco, but their demand in the main is for renunciation of the principle of unanimity and the right of veto by Great Powers, constituting the permanent council, which were incorporated in the Charter. But is firm co-operation of the Great Powers less needed under the new conditions now that we enter an era of universal peace? Is not the proposal to abandon the unanimity of the Great Powers in Council nothing but a proposal to abandon co-operation between the peace-loving Great Powers and to adopt different lines of international policy?”

GOOD START MADE (Ptec. 1.45 p.m.) LONDON, Dec. 18. An authoritative source in Moscow declared that the conference of foreign Ministers has made a good start. Mr Bevin is anxiously awaiting the arrival of planes, delayed by had weather, carrying members of tlie delegation staff. Mr Bevin to-day conferred with the New Zealand Minister (Mr C. W. Boswell), the Australian Minister (Mr Maloney) and the Canadian Charge d Alfaires (Mr Meyrand). Mr Bevin and Mr Byrnes are expected to see the Chinese Ambassador, Mr Ping Chang, and the French Ambassador, M. Catroux, in the next few days. A correspondent broadcasting fro? 1 Moscow says that Mr Byrnes and Mr Bevin. would certainly visit M. Stalin some time during the conference to pay their respects.