NAVAL LIMITATION

Evening Star, Issue 19952, 23 August 1928, Page 4

NAVAL LIMITATION

AHGIO'FREHCH AC-REEMEHT FXI’LANATOIi.Y STATFMKNT. Press Association— By Tclcgi-apb—Copyright. PARIS, August ‘2l. A semi-official communique regarding the Anglo-French Naval Agreement points out that certain foreign Press comments necessitate the publication of an explanatory statement. It emphasises that the agreement is not a diplomatic act involving the signatures of the plenipotentiaries, but rather a settlement of a Franco-Rritish disagreement. The coimminitpic recapitulates the history of naval disarmament since the Washington Conference. and stresses that the suggestion that there are secret clauses is inaccurate, because a signed convention does not exist. It explains that the coni promise is_ intended to remove Anglo-French divergences, and emphasises France’s need for small, low-powered submarines to maintain her communications with North Africa, ami defensively armed light cruisers, while Britain contends that such craft, when offensively armed, should ho subject to limitation. The communique adds that the agreement is intruded to serve as a basis for a settlement of the whole disarmament problem.—Australian Press Association. JAPAN’S APPROVAL. TOKTO, August 22. Japan announces that she approves in principle the proposals for naval auxiliary limitation.—Australian Press Association.