REPLY BY SOVIET

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 124, 30 May 1927, Page 9

REPLY BY SOVIET

DENIAL OF ALL CHARGES

ALLEGATIONS OF FORGERY

(A.P.A. and "Sun.")

MOSCOW, 29th May. M. Litvinoff has handed a Note to the British Charge d 'Affaires stating that the British decision had not surprised members of the Soviet, who were aware that a rupture was being prepared by the Conservative Government. The Note emphatically denies all the charges of violating. the Trade Agreement. The charges are declared to be based on false information and forged

documents, with which the British Ooverment freely operated throughout the period of Anglo-Soviet relations. The bovict deems it unworthy to reply to the insinuations of espionage by the Trade Delegation, and declares that the British had no legal ground for tho police raid on extraterritorial premises, nor f or terminating the ngreoment without six months* notice. fll !" 18. I*otV 1«cla«» Uis «vi t lcnt to the whole world that tho fundamental cause of the rupture is the defeat of tho Conservative Government's policy m China and an attempt to mask tho doMat by a diversion directed against the Soviet, while tho direct reason is tho ttovcrnment's desire to divert public opinion from the failure of the absurd police raid on Arcos and save Sir Wiliiam Joynson.-Hicks from a scandalous position consequent on the raid: Tho Note concludes: "Tho Soviet de- ?"■«* "iendly relations with the British Empire. The responsibility for tho break rests with the British Government. It will inevitably upset tho existing political, economic, and international relations, but the Soviet is convinced that the time is near when the British people will find ways and "i?** 8. for tne unhampered realisation of their-aspirations for ocace and normal relations with the Soviet."