FRANCE AND BRITAIN

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22390, 2 May 1938, Page 9

FRANCE AND BRITAIN

Close Community Of Interests

OFFICIAL DISCUSSIONS IN LONDON

(Bimsß ornciAL wireless.) (Received April 30, 10.45 a.m.) RUGBY, April 29. A communique issued at the conclusion of the Anglo-French talks states that during their visit to London, the French Prime Minister (M. Edouard Daladier), and the Foreign Minister (M. Georges Bonnet), had a number of conversations with the Prime Minister (Mr Chamberlain), the Foreign Secretary (Lord Halifax), and other British Ministers, during which they discussed in the spirit of mutual confidence which inspires the relations between the two countries the principal questions which at present affect the maintenance of peace. The French and British Ministers reviewed the results of the recent conversations between Count Clano and Lord Perth embodied in the Anglo-Italian agreement, and the French Ministers welcomed this contribution to European appeasement. The British Ministers, on their part, expressed the hope that the conversations which the French Government had opened with the Italian Government would lead to equally satisfactory results. The French and British Ministers were of the opinion that the appeasement in the Mediterranean which would result from these agreements would contribute to the entry into force of the resolution of November last of the Non-Intervention Committee for the withdrawal of foreign participants in the civil war from Spain, and would facilitate the conclusion of the agreements for the withdrawal of war material. Central European Problem

They devoted close attention to the situation in Central Europe and found themselves m general ment on the action that might most usefully be taken to find useful and equitable settlement of the problems arising in that area. They also touched on certain questions relating to the situation in the Far East and discussed questions which appeared on the agenda at the forthcoming meeting of the Council or the League of Nations. The two Governments decided to continue as might be necessary the contacts between their general staffs. As a result of the very frank and full discussion which took Place it Was once again recognised that France and Britain are bound together by a close community of interests and the French and British Ministers agreed that it was therefore of the highest importance, in the present circumstances that the two Governments should continue and develop a policy of consultation and collaboration in defence, not only of their common interests, but also of those ideals of national and international life which unite the two countries.

Nature of General Staff Contacts A question which loomed unnecessarily large in some press comments on the Anglo-French meeting, and or. which Ministers of the two Governments had no difficulty in • recording agreement, is the question of staff contacts. At the time of the arrangement by which these contacts were established in 1936 it was made clear from the Brjtish side that they could not, and did not, constitute any new obligations or commitments, and doubtless the British Ministers thought it proper to make this point again. Simple and straightforward as the question is—as the communique shows—there is a danger of its being complicated by ill-informed commentary, and it L learned that for this reason Lord Halifax thought it desirable to see both the German and Italian diplomatic representatives in London to make the position perfectly clear. Central Europe, and, in particular, th problems facing Czechoslovakia, were the main subject of to-day’-e conversations. The French have precise treaty obligations about Czechoslovakia arcl the position and interests of Britain in this same respect were described by Mr Chamberlain in the House of Commons on March 14. The British Ministers are Understood to have again insisted that, while anxious and willing when the occasion required to lend the full influence of the British Government on the side of peace, they could not assume any further commitments than those already defined in Mr Chamberlain’s statement. More particularly they undertook to explore the possibility of exerting British influence in all quarters where it could be usefully exerted towards discovering the elements of an agreement on the Sudeten question.

NO MILITARY ALLIANCE

ASSURANCE GIVEN BY MINISTER

(Received May 1, 8 p.m.)

LONDON, April 29.

Exaggerated reports in certain quarters concerning a so-called military alliance have prompted the Foreign Minister (Lord Halifax) to discuss the matter with the Italian Ambassador and the counsellor of the German Embassy, informing them that the Anglo-French decisions were merely a continuance of the 1936 consultations.