CLOSE MILITARY CO-OPERATION

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 24095, 3 November 1943, Page 3

CLOSE MILITARY CO-OPERATION

EUROPEAN THEATRE OF WAR INTERLOCATING ALLIED OPERATIONS (8.0. W.) RUGBY, Nov. 1. The words of the agreed statement issued by the British, Amerfcan, and Russian Foreign Secretaries repay careful study. First and foremost, present, pending, and future operations to hasten the end of the war were discussed. Hitherto the Russian front has been operationally, though not strategically, separate from the other European theatres. Now all the European theatres are steadily becoming more interlocated. As the winter proceeds, this process is likely to be accelerated. At Moscow the foundation was laid for the closest military co-operation from now on. In the political sphere, the conference resulted in an agreement to establish machinery for practical collaboration in Europe among Britain, Russia. and America. The European, Advisory Comiriission in London will ensure that the political problems arising as the war develops can be studied jointly with a view to common action by the Allies. The commission is regarded as a projection of the threePower conference. The importance of such a step is emphasised by the acute problems which have been appearing in one European country after another as the day of liberation approaches. That the three principals have no intention to exclude other nations is shown by the composition of the special advisory council on Italy. This will not only have a permanent French member, but will include Greek and Jugoslav representatives, in view of their special interests involved. The three Powers have also looked beyond Europe to the future of the war-torn world as a whole. Together with China, they have agreed in principle to carry their present association on after the war as the only way of fully promoting the welfare of their people, whether in the political, economic, or social spheres, In the first place their war-time co-operation will be continued with a view to preventing their enemies from evading retribution. Second, it will be necessary to set up a general world organisation for security, open to all peace-loving sovereign States. This would evidently exclude any State with aggressive tendencies and any State not recognised as sovereign. Pending the establishment of such a system, the four Powers will take joint action to preserve peace, law. and order. That this would necessitate military action against foreign territory is'foreseen by Article VI. The necessity to regulate and limit world armaments is also recognised as a joint duty. Practical evidence of what the United Nations mean by the abolition of Fascism and the importance they attach to this task is given by the declaration on Italy. It is clear from this that they have no intention of allowing the survival of that noxious system under another name. The wording of the declaration on Austria is significant in its recognition of the implications of this settled policy. ministration, and from institutions and organisations of a public character. “(5) All political prisoners of the Fascist regime shall be released and accorded a full amnesty. “(6) Democratic organs of local government shall be created. “(7) Fascist officials and army generals who are known or suspected to be war criminals shall be arrested and handed >over for justice. “The foreign secretaries recognise that so long as active military operations continue in Italy, the time at which it will be possible to give full effect to the principles set out above will be determined by the Commander-in-Chief on the basis of instructions received through the combined chiefs of staff. The three Governments will, at the request of any one of them, consult on this matter. “It is further understood that nothing in this resolution is to operate against the' right of the Italian people, as soon as possible, to choose their own form of government.” AUSTRIA “Austria, the first free country to fall to Nazi aggression, shall be liberated from German domination. “The British, American, and Soviet Governments regard the annexation imposed upon Austria by the Germans as void. They consider themselves in no way bound by any changes effected in Austria since March, 1938, “They declare that they wish to see re-established a free and independent Austria, and thereby open the way for the Austrian people themselves, as well as those of neighbouring States, which will be faced with similar problems, to find that political and economic security which is the only basis of lasting peace. “Austria is reminded, however, of her responsibility, which she cannot evade, for participation in the war on the side of Hitlerite Germany, and that in the final settlement account will inevitably be taken of her contribution to her liberation.”