NORWEGIAN TREATY WITH WEST

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25735, 22 February 1949, Page 5

NORWEGIAN TREATY WITH WEST

“Formal Adherence As Soon As Possible” expansion of airfields AND PORTS (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) ’(Rec. 9.30 p.m.) LONDON, February 21. “Norway s reply to the Russian offer of a non-aggression pact will be a polite rejection, and the Government will secure the country s formal adherence to the North Atlantic Pact as soon as possible, says the Oslo correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph.” “Norway s contribution to the alliance as.at present planned would be the expansion of the main harbours and airfields. This would enable her in case of armed aggression to receive the fullest possible military aid from the United States and other member States. ’ “It is emphasised, that this would not be tantamount to granting bases to foreign States in peace time. It would be a purely Norwegian undertaking carried out by Norwegian personnel under the terms of a regional security pact within the framework of the United Nations Charter. “The developments at present planned would primarily refer to the airfields at Sola, outside Stavanger, Gardemoen, north of Oslo, and Trondheim, and to the harbours of Kristiansand, Bergen, Trondheim, and Narvik. “The reasons the Norwegian Government wants to see the country’s adherence to the Atlantic Pact are: (1) it wants a hand in shaping the final draft of the pact; (2) it hopes thus to ensure the highest possible priority of United States arms deliveries; (3) it wishes to avoid the suggestion that Russia’s recent diplomatic offensive has shaken its resolve.”

The correspondent adds: "It is understood that the draft of the pact as it stands at present provides for: (1) the establishment of a permanent military commission on which Norway would be represented; (2) the expansion of Norwegian airfields and harbours; (3) the promise of United States aid to any member State that might be the object of aggression. “Norway, in replying to Russia, will probably reiterate her peaceful intentions and her determination not to grant bases to foreign troops except in the case of a direct, immediate, and obvious threat of aggression. Since it is clear from the Soviet Note that there is no danger of aggression from Russia, Norway will maintain that there appears no need for such a pact as Moscow suggests.

“Norwegian sources received quietly reports of recent Soviet troop movements along the Finnish border. They regarded them in the absence of further information as having more basis in propaganda than truth.’ Decision by Government Party “The Norwegian Labour Party congress has unanimously adopted a resolution declaring that Norway must seek security in binding co-operation with the Western democracies,” said Reuter’s correspondent in Oslo yesterday. “The resolution added that such co-operation must support the United Nations Charter, and be purely peaceful and defensive in form and content. "The Labour Party’s decision clears the decks for action by the Labour

Government and the Labour majority in Parliament, to which the Foreign Minister (Mr Lange) will report this week on his visit to Washington. “The decision came after a resolution urging that there were no grounds for action had been withdrawn. “The resolution passed by' the Congress said that co-operation in Western Europe’s economic reconstruction was in full swing, but to preserve peace, co-operation must also include political and defensive measures. Painful experience had shown that isolated neutrality led nowhere.” Sweden’s Policy The Stockholm correspondent of the British United Press quotes the Swedish Prime Minister (Mr K Tage Erlander) as saying that there will be no more Scandinavian defence negotiations. The split between the three Scandinavian countries, said Mr Erlanger, was a fact. The Stockholm correspondent of “The Times’’ says that all Swedish parties are willing to accept the consequences of a renewal of the neutrality policy with which the offer of a Scandinavian defence pact was a clear break. Public opinion is prepared for new sacrifices for rearmament, and Swedish experts are working at high pressure to bring Swedish armaments and training to the highest pitch of efficiency.

The general feeling, the correspondent adds, is that Denmark will follow Norway’s lead, though somewhat reluctantlv. but will try to keep in close touch with Sweden.