TROOPS KEPT IN AUSTRIA

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24865, 3 May 1946, Page 7

TROOPS KEPT IN AUSTRIA

Russia’s Share ' Of Total U.S. REQUEST TO MR MOLOTOV (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright.) (Rec. 11 p.m.) LONDON, May 2. The Paris correspondent of “The Times” reports that at the Foreign Ministers’ Conference the United States delegate (Mr James Byrnes) yesterday asked Mr Molotov to agree there and then to a proposal that none of the Four Powers should keep more than 15,000 troops in Austria from now until the final withdrawal. Mr Molotov replied by saying that the proposal might be taken up when Austria was discussed, but he gave no sign of changing his previous unwillingness to have Austria discussed during this session of the conference. The correspondent adds that at present Russia has 140,000 out of the 200,000 Allied troops in Austria. Russia’s attitude, which was noticeably conciliatory at the opening sessions of the conference, appears to have stiffened, states Reuter’s correspondent in Paris.

The discussions jon Italy are also slowing down, and observers believe that Mr- Molotov’s refusal to allow the formation of an Allied inspectorate for

Italy Is the forerunner of a stiffer attitude in future. Agreement on all major questions appears as remote as ever.

The Paris correspondent of “The Times” describes to-day’s discussion as straggling and inconclusive. Mr Molotov surprised the others by coming out against the September agreement for the establishment of an inspectorate. He said that Russia, in recent months, had come to doiibt the desirability of such machinery which seemed illogical and retrograde. He asked Mr Bevin whether the proposal involved the maintenance of Allied troops on Italian soil. Mr Bevin replied that there was no need for troops. The proposal merely envisaged a skilled staff of inspectors to ensure Italian disarmament during the decisive months.

Mr James Byrnes declared that the United States wanted the withdrawal of troops from all countries except Germany as soon as possible. The discussion lapsed without an agreemeht. The Paris correspondent of “The Times” states that Mr Byrnes is clearly puzzled by Mr Molotov’s continued reluctance to discuss Austria, and he is equally disappointed at his failure to take up, for immediate discussion, the United States proposal for a 25-year treaty. The French Foreign Minister (M. Bidault) called on Mr Byrnes this afternoon for a long private talk. The Italian Prime Minister (Signor de Gasparri) is flying to Paris to-mor-row to plead Italy’s case before the Foreign Ministers. He is preparing a speech dealing with Trieste, colonies, reparations, and the navy. The Christian Democrat newspaper, “Il Popolo,” says that it is an understatement to say that the Paris conference is preparing a hard peace. It is an absurd peace. The Monarchist paper, “Italia Nuova,” suggests that Italian sailors might scuttle the fleet to prevent its distribution among the Allies. “Italians will never pull down the flag,” it states. The Paris correspondent of the “Daily Mail” says that Mr Molotov’s opposition to the establishment of a Four-Power Allied Inspectorate in Italy is believed to be designed to forestall the establishment of similar inspectorates in Bulgaria, Hungary, and Rumania.