MOSCOW RESULTS EXCEEDED HOPES

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 269, 12 November 1943, Page 3

MOSCOW RESULTS EXCEEDED HOPES

MR. EDEN'S REVIEW Warm Tributes To Allies' Co-operation BrWsh ufficial Wireless Rec. 2.30 p.m. RUGBY, Nov. 11. The results had exceeded his j hopes, said the Secretary for Foreign J Affairs, Mr. Anthony Eden, in giv- j ing the House of Commons an ac-! count of the recent Moscow Conference. The fortnight's work had brought a new warmth into Britain's j dealings with Soviet and American friends and the frank, exhaustive military discussions did more good to mutual relations than any other phase of the conference. "As we worked, the sense of confidence grew and this in turn seemed j to give added momentum to our ■ progress," Mr. Eden proceeded. "The \ actual achievements seem solid! enough, but it is the friendly atmosphere, mutual interest and mutual confidence which for me will always j make the Moscow Conference memorable." Mr. Eden said the first difficulty] he and the United States Secretary j of State, Mr. Cordell Hull, encoun-; tered was to persuade the* Soviet; Foreign Minister, M. Molotov, to j preside M. Molotov wished them to undertake the task in turn, but; he finally accepted, the responsibility | and made a chairman of outstanding j skill and judgment in handling the long, complicated agenda. Basis of Complete Equality Mr. Eden also paid tribute to Mr. j Hull's very gallant venture in I making the long flight and to the; co-operation received from -tne. British Arbassador, Sir Archibald Clark Kerr, and the British Foreign j Office leader, Mr. William Strang, i All were conscious of how much j future millions depended on the j outcome of their labours. They met j round the table on' the basis of com-, plete equality and were able to state | problems and discuss views, con-1 scious that they were striving for one purpose only—to try to bring the war to a victorious end at the : earliest possible moment, and co- j operate fully thereafter. ! Referring" to measures for shortening the war, Mr. Eden said he could not go beyond the very care-, fully chosen words of the commu- [ nique. The result of the discussions ; could only be made public as they '. developed, at the expense of the j common enemy. "I am confident," j he added, "that the developments will be' found generally satisfactory to members in all parts of the House." Referring to the military discussions, Mr. Eden said there was no tendency on the part of any of the delegates to dodge any of the difficult and important issues raised. He was deeply indebted to MajorGeneral Sir Hastings Ismay. military adviser to Mr. Churchill for his invaluable part in this work. Nothing, could give better proof of Mr. Hull's vision and statesmanship than the declaration of general security, of which he was the parent, said Mr. Eden. The importance of his declaration was in the decision of tiie four Governments to continue collaboration after the war, but the declaration was not good enough by itself. It was absolutely essential that there be between the Allies special machinery beyond ordinary diplomatic interchange through whicn tney could work continuously together and concert rapidly and efficiently their views on the many political problems arising from the war. Responsibility For Peace It was perhaps the greatest achievement of the conference to take the first steps in establishing this machinery. Mr. Eden declared. A European Commission would be set up at once. It was advisory machinery for the convenience of the three Governments, not an instrument for imposing their views on others. The truth must be faced that it was on these three Powers principally that would lie the responsibility of ensuring that the war would 'be followed by lasting peace. If they could agree there was no point which would not be capable of final solution. If they did not agree there was no international event which could not 'become an international problem. Lord Cranborne, Leader of the House of Lords, made a statement in the House of Lords similar to Mr. Eden's review and spoke of the great disappointment its terms must have brought to the German people.