DE VALERA'S MESSAGE

Auckland Star, Volume LII, Issue 224, 20 September 1921, Page 2

DE VALERA'S MESSAGE

UNCONDITIONAL CONGRESS. ; SUGGESTED BY SINN FSIN. 3 TREATY OF ACCOMMODATION. ■ fl!j Cable.—Press A&sor-iatinn.- ("opjrlsht; fßpfpirptl a,30 p.m.l LONDON. September 10. ! .Mr. de Valera. in a telegram to Mr. Uoyd (ieorge to-day, said: 'We have not thought at any time ni" aiking you I to accept any rendition precedent to a, conference. We would have thought it I unreasonable to expect you as a preliminary to recognise the Irish Republic formally or informally, as that you should expect us, formally or informally, I to surrender our national position. It is precisely because neither side accepts the position of the other that there is \ any dispute at all, and a conference ia necessary to search for and discuss such adjustments as might compose the , differences. *'A treaty of accommodation properly ■ concluded between the peoples of these two islands and between Ireland and the ■ group of States of the British Commonwealth would, we believe, end the dis- . pute for ever, and enable the two nations : to settle down in peace, each pursuing its i own individual development and contri- • buting its quota to civilisation, but work- ! ing together in free and friendly co-opera-l tion in affairs of agreed common concern. . To negotiate such a treaty respective , representatives must meet. If you seek to impose preliminary conditions, which we must regard as involving the surrender of our whole position, they cannot meet. ,- The telegram concludes by confirming the acceptance of a conference without prejudice in the event of failure.—(A. and N.Z. Cable.)