SOVIET RUSSIA.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 17631, 7 December 1922, Page 7

SOVIET RUSSIA.

DISARMAMENT CONFERENCE. OFPER TO BALTIC STATES. ?/,,., C iv le ~ Ple , M Association-Copyright.) (AMtr»!,tt md y.Z. Cable Association./ (Received December 6th, 5.5 p.m.) v COPENHAGEN, December 5. The "Beriingske Tidende's" Helsingfors correspondent says that M. Litvwoff, epeaking at the Disarmament Conference, said that Russia was willing to reduce her army by 75 per cent, m the next two years, involving a reduction to 200.GCG. The neighbouring btates mubi do likewise. All irregular military organisations must be dissolved, and frontier districts demilitarised. As the navy had been reduced l>y 75 per cent, since 1917, the Soviet did not propose a"further reduction. Finland and Estuonia replied that the negotiations must include the navy. With tnis reservation, all the delegates declared their willingness to work tor disarmament. [A previous lveuter message said M. Litviuott, opening the Diaannaineiit Contorenoe uetv.etn iiussiu, and roiand •ana tne Baltic states, read a declaration hy the Russian Government expressing its readiness to reduce tne Red Army to 200,0X1, dissolve irregular , '"'- I r s , limit war budgets on a reciprocal basis, and to neutralise the border zones. He added that it was impossible for Russia to reduce her navy. Prince Radziwill, head of the Polish delegation, who was also acting on behalf of Roumania, expressed a desire for a political agreement as a preliminary to terhnical discussions. The Finnish. TCsthotiian/aud Lntvian delegates expressed a similar desire. The Finnish and Fsthonian representatives tirp-ed the seriom of naval disarmament. The conference arranged •to nominate various commissions.] RELATIONS WITH ITALY. IMPORTANT DECISIONS. * PARIS, December 5. M. Krassin arrived unexpectedly at Rome and conferred with Signor Mussolini (Prime Minister). The "Petit Parisien" understands that they agreed on the principle that Italy should send a political instead of a trade representative to Moscow. It was also decided to create a RussoItalian mixed committee, charged with the study of all economic and commercial questions affecting the two countries. (Received December 6th, 8.10 p.m.) ROME, December 5. Signor Mussolini is staying at Milan on his way to London. He will confer there with M. Tchitcherin in connexion with the Adriatic and the recession of Salonika to Jugo-Slavia. CONCESSIONS TO KRUPP'S. I PARIS, December 6. The "Echo de Paris" says an important Russian contract has been made between the Soviet and Krupps for the exploitation by Krupps'of 100,000 hectares of 'farm land in South West Russia.