RUSSIA BLAMES U.S. FOR AIR INCIDENT

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26212, 8 September 1950, Page 7

RUSSIA BLAMES U.S. FOR AIR INCIDENT

Washington Rejects Note—- ‘‘ Only Through U.N.”

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 7.45 p.m.) WASHINGTON, September 6. Both the American Embassy in Moscow and the State Department in Washington have refused to accept delivery of Soviet Notes protesting against the shooting down of a Russian aircraft off Korea. The Secretary of State (Mr Dean Acheson) said that the whole matter would be handled through the United Nations—it is now on the Security Council’s agenda—because all the aircraft and ships engaged were under United Nations authority. Mr Acheson said to-day that the aircraft had menaced the United Nations naval forces before being shot down, and it had opened fire on aircraft sent up to intercept it.- He did not know why one aeroplane should have conducted such an attack, but the important thing was that a Russian officer was engaged. The Russian Note, which Mr Malik read to the Security Council, said that 11 American fighters had attacked and shot down a four-engined Soviet Air Force plane on a training flight from Port Arthur to Hai-yun-tao island (120 miles off the weet coast of Korea and 80 miles north of the 38th parallel).

The Note claimed that the aeroplane had neither bombing nor torpedo armament. The American action was a “crime” for the consequences of which the United States Government must take all responsibility.