PEACE OF THE NATIONS

Evening Star, Issue 21945, 4 February 1935, Page 9

PEACE OF THE NATIONS

ANGLO-FRENCH EFFORTS SUCCESSFUL LONDON CONVERSATIONS COMPLETE AGREEMENT OH ESSENTIAL . MAHERS RUGBY, February 2. (Received February 4, at noon.) The Anglo-French Ministerial conversations concluded this evening. It was nearly midnight before the talks ended, but complete agreement on all essential matters have been reached. When the Anglo-French Ministers separated a communique in the following terms was issued:— “ The object of the meeting between the British and French Ministers which has been taking place in London was to promote peace of the world by closer co-operation in the spirit of most friendly confidence and to remove those tendencies which, if unchecked, were calculated to lead to a race in armaments and- to increase the dangers of wey. With this object in view the British and French Ministers proceeded with an examination of the general situation. They took note of the particularly important part played by the League of Nations in recent settlements of certain international problems and welcomed the successful results as evidence of the conciliatory spirit of all Governments taking part in those settlements. They declare their determination to pursue, both as regards the problems in their own countries and of the League, policies guided by the same methods of conciliation and co-operation.

“ With reference to the FrancoItalian agreements recentlr reached at Home British Ministers, on behalf of His Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom, cordially welcomed the declaration by which the French and Italian Governments asserted their intention to develop the traditional friendship which unites those two nations, and associated His Majesty’s Government with the intention of the French and Italian Governments to collaborate in a spirit of mutual trust in the maintenance of general peace. The British Ministers expressed the congratulations of His Majesty’s Government at the conclusion of the Rome agreement regarding Central Europe, and made it clear that as a consequence of the declarations made by His Majesty’s Government in conjunction with the French and Italian Governments on February 17 and September 27 last, His Majesty’s Government considers itself to be among the Powers which will, as provided in the Rome agreements, consult together if the independence and integrity of Austria are menaced.

“ British and French Ministers cx-\ pressed the hope that the the encouraging progress thus achieved may now be continued by means of the direct and effective co-operation of Germany. They agreed that neither Germany nor any other Power whose armaments had been defined by the peace treaties were entitled by unilateral action to modify these obligations, but they further agreed that nothing would contribute more to the restoration of confidence and the prospects of peace among the nations than a general settlement freely negotiated between Germany and the other Powers. This general settlement would make provision for the organisation of security in Europe, particularly by means of conclusion of pacts freely negotiated between all interested parties, and ensuring mutual assistance in Eastern Europe and Central Europe simultaneously and in conformity with the terms of the declaration of December 11, 1032, regarding equality of rights in the system of security. This settlement would establish agreements regarding armaments generally, which in the case of Germany would replace the provisions of part 5 of the Treaty of Versailles at present limiting the arms and armed forces of Germany.

“ It will also be a part of the general settlement that Germany should resume her place in the League of Nations with a view to active membership.. The French and British Governments trust that the other Governments concerned may share these views.

“ In the course of these meetings the British and French Ministers have been impressed by the special dangers to peace created by modern developments in the air, the misuse of which might lead to sudden aerial aggression by one country upon another, and have given consideration to the possibility of provision being made against these dangers by a reciprocal regional agreement between certain Powers. It is suggested that the signatories would undertake immediately to give assistance with their air forces to whichever of them might be a victim of unprovoked aerial aggression by one of the contracting parties. The British and French Ministers, on behalf of their respective Governments, found themselves in agreement that a mutual arrangement of this kind for Western Europe would go far to operate as a deterrent to aggression, and ensure immunity from sudden attacks from the air, and they resolved to invite Italy, Germany, and Belgium to consider with tjiem whether such a convention might not bo promptly negotiated. They earnestly desire that all the countries concerned should appreciate that the object of this proposal is to reinforce peace—the sole aim pursued by the two Governments. The Governments of France and the United Kingdom declare themselves ready to resume consultations without delay after having received refills jrom the other interested Bowwa<”