FREE PORT OF TRIESTE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 66, Issue 271, 28 August 1946, Page 5

FREE PORT OF TRIESTE

MAJOR POINTS OF DISAGREEMENT

FOREIGN MINISTERS’ PROPOSALS

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright.) LONDON, August 27. A four-Power disagreement on three major points for the creation of an international free port of Trieste was revealed in the report of the Foreign Ministers’ Council Commission circulated to

delegates to the Paris Conference, states the diplomatic correspondent of the Exchange Telegraph Agency in Paris. (1) The disagreements are on the creation of a free zone.

The Soviet proposed that Yugoslavia and Italy should he allotted free port zones, maintaining separate port and Customs communications under their own administrations intended solely for the service of the needs of their own commerce and shipping. Britain and America on the other hand are not prepared to accept a principle of setting apart any section of the zone for the exclusive use oi any country. France recommends as a compromise the award of an international commission of berthing space in Trieste which would lie' reserved for Yugoslav and Italian merchantmen. (2) On transit from the free zone.

The Soviet interpreted the terms of reference to mean that the freedom of transit and imports through Trieste should be more or less limited by the boundaries of the proposed free State.

Britain, America and France . consider that the clause should be designed to prevent the risk of goods sent from Trieste to the interior of Europe being held up in the territories through which they would pass. (3) On the appointment of a director.

The Soviet suggested that the director of the free port should be appointed by the Government of the free territory from the citizens of that territory. Britain and America want a director who is not a citizen of Yugoslavia or Italy appointed by and responsible to the Governor of the free territory. France agreed that the director should not be a citizen of Yugoslavia or Italy and-suggested that six candidates be presented for the director-’ ship. The report contained 31 articles. Britain and America, with France, agreed on 28 of them. There are only 11 on which there is complete fourPower unanimity.