ARMAMENTS REDUCTION SUPPORTED

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 25021, 1 November 1946, Page 7

ARMAMENTS REDUCTION SUPPORTED

U.S. Asks For Effective Safeguards INQUIRY INTO STRENGTH OF ARMED FORCES (N.Z. Press Association-—Copyright) lec. 9 P m > NEW YORK, October 30. Speaking before the United Nations General Assembly jay, Mr Warren Austin, a former member of the United a(es Senate, who is leader of the United States delegation, .fored Mr Molotov’s speech, but said the United States iforsed the Russian proposal for immediate action on 'disjoment if safeguards were provided. Mr Austin reminded the Assembly, however, that after the world war ‘we made the mistake of disarming uniterally. We shall not repeat that mistake. The United States prepared to co-operate fully with all other members of'the sited Nations in. disarmament. It advocates effective safeBirds for inspection and the adoption of other means against K hazards of violation and evasion.” Mr Molotov’s speech indicated “distrust and misunderaiding” of the motives of America and other members of the died Nations. Mr Austin said he did not believe in recriminams, and he hoped the struggle for peace henceforth could be nducted without them. The United States believed that Mr hlotov’s disarmament proposal, including his demand for ding the manufacture of the atomic bomb, should be fully grossed by the Assembly. The United States interpreted Mr Molotov’s demand for a (port on troops in non-enemy countries plus his statement that Jissia was williiig to co-operate as meaning that Russia was in prepared to report on the strength of its armed forces in smany, the former enemy Balkan States, and Poland or any her place. Therefore, the United States urged the prompt tament of this policy. The United States had nothing to Me regarding its armed forces at home or abroad; The probed inquiry should include all mobilised armed forces Hiether at home or abroad. (The Associated Press notes that this major statement of dicy was approved beforehand by Mr James Byrnes the tiled States Secretary of State, and presumably by Mr reman.)

Hie United States objected to any mediate eradication of the veto in. t Security Council, but it hoped that pe time in the future the Big Five aid agree unanimously to remove «veto from the peaceful settlement disputes. Meanwhile, the veto did not relieve s permanent members of any of the nonsibilities or obligations they asmed under the Charter, and the

.Council’s voting system < be interpreted to carry out the | °* the Charter as well as the “ This is the policy of the • '-.Jtea States.” |y. Austin said the Soviet’s initia- ” a reduction of armaw&s was appropriate because of its

mighty armies. Similarly the initiative of die United States was appropriate m proposing measures for the prevention of the manufacture and use of atomic weapons. Mr Austin said H? e ., wor W knows, where the united States stands and where it has always stood. For 20 years before the a F, ? „ or 15 months since, the United States has consistently been in the forefront, striving to redued the burden of armaments upon the peoples of the world. Since the end of the wars JHg, Europe and the Pacific the United States had progressively and rapidly reduced its military establishment.

In a speech supporting Mr Molotov the Jugoslav Foreign Minister, Mr Stanoje Simic, accused Britain and America of repeated violations of the United Nations Charter He declared that certain circles were attempting to use the atom bomb “as a means of intimidating the world.” He said both Britain and America were violating the Charter by maintaming troops on the territory of friendly nations and by voting against the admission of Albania to the United Nations.

He accused the United States of holding Jugoslav vessels illegally on the upper Danube and of refusing to turn over to Jugoslavia thousands of quislings now in camps for displaced persons.

Mr Simic strongly opposed the United States plan for atomic energy control. He claimed that the whole responsibility of handling this question should rest with the Security Council. He agreed with Mr Molotov that the first step in atom control should be the outlawing of the production of atomic weapons. Mr Simic said Mr Molotov’s proposal for the ‘limitation of armaments corresponded with the true desires, hopes, and aspirations of the peoples of the world, who would regard it as the first ray of hope that mankind would one day be free of the constant fear of armed conflicts and of the present nightmare of war psychosis and intimidation.