TALKS IN MOSCOW

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

TALKS IN MOSCOW

PERSIA DOMINATES MEETING PROTEST TO UNITED STATES “USURPATION OF AZERBAIJAN” # (N.Z. Press Association —Copyright.) LONDON, Dec. 18. Mr Ernest Bevin (British Foreign Secretary) has received further reports on the Persian situation, says Reuter’s Moscow corespondent. He had further talks with Sir Reader Bullard British Ambassador to Persia) and read translations of Russian reports giving more information on the establishment of the new Government in Azerbaijan.

Mr James F. Byrnes (U.S. Secretary of State) also studied the latest reports of the Persian situation. The Foreign Ministers in Moscow yesterday met for the second time for 135 minutes. No statement was made. The “Daily Telegraph” says the situation in Persia is believed to be engaging tlie Ministers immediate attention and added that official observers in Moscow describe the atmosphere of the conferences as cordial. Mr Molotov has been invited to become chairman of the meetings. The Moscow correspondent of the Associated. Press says it is reported that Mr Bevin and Mr Byrnes, in reply to official inquiries, have been informed that Generalissimo Stalin is in good health, but no indication was given when he was likely to return from his holiday. The Persian Cabinet is reported to have decided to send a protest to the United Nations against -what is described as usurpation in Azerzaijan, says Reuter’s correspondent at Teheran.

Fall of Tabriz

The fall of Tabriz was described by eye-witnesses, Colonel Chahende, of the Tabriz garrison, and Colonel Hornayun, Chief of the Tabriz Gendarmerie, who arrived at Teheran. They said that resistance art Tabriz would have been impossible, and stupid. The Persian barracks with a garrison of 900 was surrounded by Russian troops with machine-guns and by Democrats, also with machine-guns, who occupied the roofs of surrounding houses. A surrender agreement, therefore, was signed. All officers, and a majority of the men left the barracks secretly, taking arms and hiding in the neighbourhood.

United States officials, who asked to be not identified, said they believed that the Azerbaijan uprising was not spontaneous, but due largely to the presence of Russian occupation troops, says the Associated Press. The officials said there were not widespread demands for complete autonomy until the present uprising was considerably advanced.

The United States differed strongly from the Russian view that Soviet officials had the right to bar regular Persian Government troops from Azerbaijan, because their presence would increase disorders.

The Persian Ambassador, after interviewing the Acting Secretary of State (Mr Dean Acheson) told reporters he had requested the United States to lodge a vigorous protest with Moscow and said: “Russia wants to present Britain and America with a fait accompli. M. Molotov wants to sit down with Mr Byrnes and Mr Bevin and ask them what can be accomplished in Persia now that the new Azerbaijan Government is established.”