PEACE MACHINE

Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 57, 8 March 1944, Page 5

PEACE MACHINE

MOTION IN FINLAND

"Clear Possibility" Of Settling With Russia

N.Z. Press Association—Copyright

Rec. noon

LONDON, Mar. 7.

"Peace machinery is in movement among the higher officials," reports the Helsinki correspondent of the Stockholm newspaper Dagens Nyheter. "One feels that the present phase can end at any moment and we can soon obtain a clear possibility of peace."

The British United Press Stockholm correspondent says the Finnish Parliament will meet to-day. Observers in Stockholm believe that moves may be made towards settling the Russo-Finnish peace crisis. Members of Parliament have been visiting their electorates during the week-end and have returned to Helsinki knowing just how the people feel.

Counter-proposals to the Russian terms are being submitted by Finland, says the German-controlled Helsinki newspaper Folkesdagbladet according to the Daily Mail's Stockholm correspondent.

The counter-proposals are:—(l) That Finland, shall obtain the status of a neutral country; (2) that German troops be evacuated to Germany via Sweden; (3) that there shall not be any reparations; (4) that the present front line be maintained as the frontier; (5) that the Russians agree to a defence alliance between Sweden and Finland.