INDIAN TREATY WITH JAPAN

Press, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 26514, 31 August 1951, Page 9

INDIAN TREATY WITH JAPAN

“Pact wai Not Be Controversial”

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (R t ec ;. l2 ajn.) NEW DELHI, Aug. 30. India disclosed to-day that she had no intention of proposing a peace treaty with Japan in any way controversial or counter to the BritishAmerican draft treaty. India's assurance was contained in the Government’s reply to a United States communication on India's decision not to attend the San Francisco conference, but to sign a bilateral treaty with Japan. The reply formed part of a White Paper presented to Parliament to-day by Mr Nehru. It said: “The Indian decision should not adversely affect either the friendly relations existing between India and the United States or co-operation between the two Governments in everything which is practical and fruitful for peace.” India replied point by point to the American criticism of Indian objections to the draft treaty. On the American contention that India had applied different tests about the future of the Kurile, Bonin, and Ryukyu Islands, the reply said that India had no intention of applying dissimilar principles, to different parts of territories which had an historical affinity with Japan. 'Treaties Must Conform” A Washington message quotes the United States Secretary of State (Mr Dean Acheson) as saying that any separate treaty signet! by Japan with such countries as India and China must conform to the general provisions of the British-American sponsored treaty which would prevent Japan from entering into a pact with any country which offered her more favourable terms than were granted to other nations.

Mr Acheson declined to say whether the United States would oppose Japan signing a separate treaty with Communist China.

The Secretary of State, who was asked at a press conference about the report that the United States would support Mr P. C. Spender, the Australian Ambassador to Washington, for the position of presiding officer at the peace treaty conference in San Francisco, said that the United States views on who should be elected would not be formed until after a discussion with the other nations.