TRADITIONAL POLICY UNCHANGED

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 114, 7 February 1935, Page 9

TRADITIONAL POLICY UNCHANGED

France and Armaments ’ STATEMENT BY- PRIME MINISTER By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. (“Tinies” Cable.) (Received February 6, 9.55 p.m.) London, February 6. The Paris corerspondent of “The Times” says that M. Flandin, Premier, making a statement on the London negotiations in the Chamber of Deputies, emphasised that although perfect identity of views had been established between the French and British Governments regarding the organisation of European peace, there had been no change in France’s traditional policy on armaments. . The problem was universal and would not be taken out of the League s hands. The aim of both Governments was to make a reality of equal rights within a system of security for all, but the conditions of security and a general armaments convention must be established simultaneously. There was no question of substituting the proposed air convention for the Locarno Pact, which remained intact. The air convention was meant to be an instrument of prevention, not punishment, but nothing was yet definitely settled. Further Franco-British negotiations 'would occur when the replies of other Powers were received. The correspondent adds that the conduct of negotiations, which must now’ begin with Germany, has been left largely in the hands of the British Government.