BRITAIN AND RUSSIA

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 264, 3 August 1929, Page 11

BRITAIN AND RUSSIA

CONVERSATIONS ON RELATIONS DISCONTINUED FOR THE PRESENT DIFFERENCE AS TO PROCEDURE The conversations in London between the British Foreign Secretary and the Soviet Ambassador to Franco on the subject of the resumption of diplomatic relations between Britain and Russia have been discontinued for the present, as the result of a difference of opinion as to procedure, (British Official Wireless.) Rugby, August 1. A communique issued by the 1' oreign Office states that the conversations which began in London on July -9 between Mr. Henderson, Foreign Secretary, and M. Dovgalevsky, Soviet representative in Paris, on the subject of the resumption of diplomatic relations between Great Britain and Russia, will not be continued for the present. M. Dovgalevsky returned to Paris this morning. The communique explains that in his original invitation, Mr. Henderson made it clear that it was the desire of the British Government to resume regular relations with the Government of the Union of Socialist Soviet Republics, and that a responsible representative of the latter would be welcomed with a view to the discussion of the most expeditious procedure for the settlement of outstanding questions, including debts and propaganda. Though the reply of the Sdvie_t Government to this invitation was somewhat ambiguous, it was presumed that in offering to send M. Dovgalevsky to London the Soviet Government had authorised him to discuss the procedure for settling outstanding questions on the lines proposed by Mr. Henderson. Lines of Procedure. In their first interview Mr. Henderson explained to M. Dovgalevsky the lines on which the British Government wished to proceed, adding that he was anxious to avail himself of the present Parliamentary recess in order to set up the necessary machinery for . dealing with such outstanding questions as debts, claims, trade, etc. He felt sure that, with goodwill on both sides, sufficient progress might be made to enable him on the reassembling of Parliament in October to report what had been achieved, that the principles on which a settlement could be worked out had been defined, and to request authority, even if complete settlements of all the outstanding questions had not been reached, for an exchange of fully accredited Ambassadors between the two countries. The communique adds that the British Government adheres to its desire to resume normal relations with the Soviet Government, and takes note that the Soviet Government will consider the new proposals of the British Government at its next session. Text of Invitation to Soviet. To the communique Is appended the text of the original invitation to the Soviet Government to send a representative to London. The invitation was in the following terms:—“His Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom has carefully considered the existing state of relations between this country and the Union of Socialist Soviet Republics, and is prepared to re-estab-lish the normal machinery of diplomatic relations between Great Britain and the Union of Socialist Soviet Republics on the understanding that reciprocal rights and duties which international law recognises as incumbent on States in their relations with one another subsist between this country and the Union of Socialist Soviet Republics. To this end His Majesty’s Government Invites the Government of the Union of Socialist Soviet Republics to send a responsible representative to London in order to discuss with the Foreign Secretary direct the most expeditious procedure for reaching as rapidly as possible a friendly and mutually satisfactory settlement of outstanding questions between the two countries, including those relating to propaganda and debts." Reply of Soviet’s Representative. In the Note handed to Mr. Henderson yesterday, M. Dovgalevsky said: “The Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics lias done everything on its side to facilitate a rapprochement between the Union and Britain, and the resumption of normal diplomatic relations between the two countries. The fact, however, that the British Secretary for Foreign Affairs has stated to M. Dovgalevsky. the Soviet Ambassador to France, that it is impossible for the British Government to re-establish normal relations between the two countries before a solution of the questions outstanding between them shows that the British Government does not desire, or is unable to bring about a resumption of these relations. If such were not the case, the British Government would not have proposed as a preliminary condition tor the re-establishment of normal relations the solution of questions so complicated and contentious as mutual claims and counter-claims. This new circumstance, which was not foreshadowed by the Note from the British Government addressed to the People’s Commissariat for Foreign Affairs on July 17, requires a fresh examination of the question. For that reason the People’s Commissariat for Foreign Affairs finds itself compelled to ask for fresh instructions from the Praesidium of the Central Executive Committee of the Union, which will consider the new proposals of the British Government at its next Parliamentary session.”