SOVIET PARLEYS OF GREAT IMPORTANCE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 109, 11 May 1939, Page 11

SOVIET PARLEYS OF GREAT IMPORTANCE.

CHAMBERLAIN VIEW. Statement Given On Lines Of Negotiations. HELP AGAINST AGGRESSION. British Offlclnl Wireless. (Rpcplved 12 noon.) RUGBY, May 10. Mr. ('■ R. Attlpp, in the House of Common?, asked Mr. Chamberlain about a statement issned in Moscow rpgai'fliny; Briti.-<li and Russian exrhnnffp*. .Mr. (liiHiilx'lliiin phWI: "J have SPPII the sliil I'iiii'iit to wliii-li Mr. Attlpp rot Vis iiii'l which iX'Piu-t tii l>p bused upon siinic iiiMiiiuli'r!»t«tiiiliii}i of sujiMi'Htions iirtiiiilly put fiirwiinl I'V Britain tn tin , Siivipt. Though conviT-mtinns nrp still in |ii-i"jrp««. mill tin' Kiiimo will not tllPCcforP PN|'Pct HIP tn discuss tllPi»pl nutttPi'rt in detail. I tliink it might lip iulviiiil>lp in virw of this statement t>> place the Floiiso in [tosHeswion of tllP •fpiipnil linp on which thp conversations liave been hitherto propped in}*. "As tliP House is awnrp, Britain recpntly iicpppted a definite obligation in respect to certain Kantorn Kurctpviiii States. Hritain <li«l this in pursuant nf its declared poli<-y of aa.-Mstiiijf those States to resist any attempt, if such were made, to threaten their independence. "Britain undertook these obligations without inviting the Soviet to participate directly in them in vipw of certain difficulties to which, as the House is well aware, any such suggestions would inevitably give rise. "Britain accordingly suggested to the Soviet that it should make, on its own behalf, n declaration of similar effect to that already made by Britain, in the sense that in the event of Britain and France being involved in hostilities in discharge of their own obligations thus accepted, the Soviet, on its side, would express its readiness also to lend assistance if desired. Victim* of Attack. "Such declaration, if the Soviet feels able to make it, seems to Britain to be in accord with M. Stalin'e recent pronouncement that it was the Soviets policy to support countries which might be victims of aggression, and which were prepared to defend their own independence.

"Almost simultaneously the Soviet suggested a echeme at once more com- { prehensivo and more rigid, which, whatever other advantages it might present, muet, in the view of Britain, inevitably raise the very difficulties which Britain's own proposals had been designed to avoid. "Britain accordingly pointed out to the Soviet the existence of these difficulties. At the earn* time Britain made certain modiflcatione in her original proposals. In particular Britain made it plain that it was no part of her intention that the Soviet ehould commit herself to intervene irrespective of whether Britain and France had already, in discharge of their obligations, done so. "Britain added that if the Soviet wishes to make her, own intervention contingent on that of Britain and France, the British Government, for ite part, would have no objection. Soviet Explanation Sought. "Viscount Halifax yesterday saw M. Maieky, who explained to him that the Soviet still is not clear whether, under Britain's proposals, circumstances might not arise in which the Soviet would be committed to intervention unsupported by Britain or France. Lord

Halifax aesured M. Maisky that this definitely was not the intention of Britain's proposal, and that if there wae any room for doubt on this point Lord Halifax anticipated that it could without difficulty be removed. "Hβ accordingly invited M. Maisky to place Britain in possession of the precise grounds on which these doubts of the Soviet were baaed, if they still existed, and this M. Maisky readily agreed to do. "Sir William Seeds had an interview two days ago with M. Molotoff, who promieed that the Soviet would give careful consideration to Britain's proposals, and the Government is now •waiting the Soviet's reply." The House had better await the Soviet's reply to see what further steps might be required, but he emphatically declared that Britain regarded the negotiations with Moscow ae a matter of great importance and of real urgency. MISUNDERSTANDING? Negotiations Between Britain And Russia. SOVIET AND BALKAN TALKS.

(Received 11.30 a.m.) LONDON, May 10. M. Maisky, Russian Ambassador, called at the Foreign Officer to clear up misunderstandings regarding the negotiations between Britain and the Soviet. A Tass Agency message left the impression that the Soviet might, in certain circumstances, be left alone in a conflict following an act of aggression. It is stated in official circles in London that Britain and France had not intended to seek Russian aid unless they themselves were already engaged in such conflict. M. Potemkin, Soviet Vice-Commissar of Foreign Affairs, interviewed in Wariaw, expressed the liveliest satisfaction at his conversations in Ankara, Sofia and Bucharest. He was particularly pleased with his Turkish talks. "With our great friends, France and Turkey, we will be a powerful factor in the stabilisation of peace," he remarked. Colonel Beck and M. Potemkin conferred with a view to putting RussoPolish relations on a normal basis. An independent Cubic Service message •ays the Polish Prews, following German newspaper tactics, has launched a campaign accusing ficrmnny of ill-treating Poles and wrecking Polish buildings in German Silesia, and brutally expelling Poles from East Prussia. '