DISCUSSIONS ON EUROPE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 69, Issue 74, 7 January 1949, Page 4

DISCUSSIONS ON EUROPE

BRITAIN’S REQUEST FOR POSTPONEMENT ' . LONDON, January 5. “As far as one can learn—and one can learn almost nothing from the Foreign Office—Mr Bevin is quite unaware of the serious consequences 'ffkely to result from his unfortunate request to the other Brussels Pact Powers to postpone the resumption ot the Paris five-Power talks on ways and means of bringing about closer political unity among the countries ot Western Europe,” says the diplomatic correspondent of the “Manchester Guardian.” . “Apparently .there is no indication of the duration of the postponement. Rightly or wrongly, the genuineness of the desire of the British Government and of Mr Bevin himself for the creation of some political machinei y for bringing about such closer political co-operation in Europe lias become suspect. “The five-Power working party m Paris proposed that as a compromise on the differing suggestions, two bodies might be established: (1) Some sort of deliberative assembly; (2) a body with executive powers, responsible directly to the five Governments. A proposal' on these lines has been forwarded to the various Governments. Mr Bevin's request for a postponement of discussion of this proposal can only bo interpreted ,as meaning that he is unwilling to accept this sensible compromise and is still in' some way afraid of a European Assembly. “Perhaps Mr Bevin has been unnecessarily frightened by the tendency of Frenchmen to talk broadly of ‘federation’ and ‘federalism.’ No serious person in any ol' (lie five countries considers immediate the possibilities of a federation.

"it looks,” says the correspondent, “as if Mi' Bevin will not be ready to submit the British Government’s views on the reports of the Paris committee until after lie has had talks with the French Foreign Minister (M. Schumann.) on January 13 and 14.”