POLISH AFFAIRS

Press, Volume LXXXI, Issue 24750, 15 December 1945, Page 7

POLISH AFFAIRS

Free Elections By June QUESTION OP DEBT TO BRITAIN CN.2: Press Association—Copyright) (S|c 9 p.ra.) ; LONDON, Dec. 14. . R°' an d "fill have Iree elections bb--IV !i r^ pDrt f r° m Warsaw, The Vice-Premier (Mr Mikolajczyk/ making the announcement to the nn^fl l^ n r,? re ?l’ S3 * d ree ClcCtiOtlS ™^ a +u I)r ?v Ide ? stable Government,' and the Peasant Party, of Which he Was leader, whs.-anxioUs they should be held as. soon aS possible. . Mr Mikolajczyk said there had been delays created by the slow clearing of es V a iu d b T? the need to await the t l3 e p ? llsh fighting services f. rom a i? r ? ad j R® add his party believed Poland, must nave close collaboration with Russia. Evett thdUgh Germany was now defeated, the Germans {utd not given up the idea they were the hfertenVolk of Europe All countne£ wpuld have to co-operate closely to prevent Germany from again Unleashing a war. _Mr Mikolajczyk said he-had pressed iqdi an trb d c^ S i and i n § Y. 1 , Russia since tp.h.. gP, h /d noted that there Were llhL er R ed . A rmy troops in Poland than When he first returned He dismissed ?L 1I? 5 fccurate Allegations in the foreign press that his country had been by the Rea Army. said the Russians „c t » f hed hirid Gomprising about i? ussm, i troops already m Poland had been asked to co-operate Imrthffirii 5 bai ? : Russia'would undoubtedly Withdraw her armed forces except for lines of cbmihunication xtoops. London, Mr Bevin has discussed l a l oi l c^ nd t Po sb / elati o n s With the undet-Secretary bf Foreign Affairs (Mr ModzeleWski) The talk's maihly rt , c e ir L the repatriation of members Jf olls £ arfcted forces in Britain and other Poles, add the renavinerit of £71,000,000 due tb Britain* 5 This money was expended by Britain ott the Army which fought with the Polish refugees in the Mjddl o East and elsewhere The Times” diplomatic correspondent says much bitter comment has been “® d e i n Poland on the British pro* posals for the.repayment Of these sums expended by Britain. He adds that the Treasury does not ask for £71.000.000, but it is suggested that in the final settlement the present Polish GovernTd?nnn h (1 n U n d accept obligation to pay £45,000*009 spent on soldiers’ pay and f ffinrin ° f var i ous kinds, and £26*000,000 paid out on civilian account. It appears that-Warsaw is ready accept the civilian account of S d 6^’ nnn nnn bUt regard . s the claim for i.45,000,000 as excessive and' unjust m itselL and beyond its capacity to ™ aet ; The soldierSj the Poles point °ut, fought under British command and often in direct defence of Britain, ihey also state that some of the money used in the services was directed against the present Government,

EVACUATION OF LEVANT

BRITISH AND FRENCH TROOPS

agreement, between GOVERNMENTS

LONDON,. December 13. A French and British agreemertt bn Syria, the Lebanon, and the Neat - East was signed in London to-day. It provides lor joint consultation and agreement on conditions for regrounis? snd evacuating British and French troops from Syria. The agreement also provides for the closest alignment of British and Flench policy in the Near East With ii e i ) -^ ect of Permanently eliminating all differences in policy which are calculated to harm French and British interests In the Near East. Announcing the . agreement, the r Q C -a ei l? x S ts ct -!. ta , ry ( ¥ r Ernest , fievih) said mat British and French military experts would meet in Beirut oh December 21 to fix a date for the evacuatroops in the LeVafit gone. The British and French - Governments recognised that it was In their ifiterests to encourage Within the framework of international collaboration the economic, well-beihg and security of the peoples of tM Middle East.

ALLIED FORCES IK PERSIA

MEMORANDUM FROM GOVERNMENT immediate Withdrawal REQUESTED LONDON, DeCeHiber 13, rne Persian Foreign Ministry has sent a memorandum to the British, American, ahd Russian Embassies in Teheran demanding that the forces of the three Allied and friendly Governments should immediately evacuate the country, i The memorandum declared that it Was imperative that the problem should be discussed at the forthcoming Foreign Ministers’ conference iii Moscow, ahd it claimed that -the presence of foreign troops was the cause of Confusion End regrettable incidents. Azerbaijan was an outstanding example pf the detrimental effect of theif presence.

The Persian Government asked for representation at the Moscow talks whenever Persia was discussed.

STATE HEALTH SERVICE

B.M.A. ATTITUDE TO PARTICIPATION

ESSENTIAL PRINCIPLES DEFINED

LONDON, December 13. Seven principles which the medical profession consider essential for £ny form of national health service are set out in a statement by the negotiating committee representing the British Medical Association and kindred bodies. 'They are:— (1) The profession. is opposed to any form of service which leads to the profession as a whole becoming mil-time salaried servants of the State.

. (2) The profession should be free to practise according to its traditions, standards, and knowledge, the individual doctor retaining full responsibility for the care of the patient, freedom of judgment, action, speech, and publication without interference in his professional work. (3) The citizen should be free to choose his family doctor, choose the hospital at which he is to be treated, and free to avail himself of the public service or obtain independent medical service.

(4) Doctors should be free to choose the form, place, and type of work they prefer without governmental direct tion.

(5) Every registered practitioner should be entitled as a right to participate in the public service. (6) A hospital service should be planned for natural hospital areas centred on the universities, so that these centres of education and research may influence the whole ser* vice.

. (7) The profession, should be adequately represented on all administrative bodies associated with the service so that doctors may contribute to the efficiency of the service.