MONGOLIA AND RUSSIA

Evening Star, Issue 22106, 13 August 1935, Page 3

MONGOLIA AND RUSSIA

NEW RAILWAY BUILDING Late reports concerning the relationship between the Mongols of Outer Mongolia and the Soviet army authorities in Eastern Siberia are far front reassuring. During the last week in April Reuter’s correspondent at Dairen reported that a treaty of alliance had been signed at Chita—a railway town on the main Trans-Siberian line —between General Teh, a military leader of Outward Mongolia, and' General Bleuclier, the Soviet commander in chief of Siberia (says the ‘ Sydney Morning Herald ’). At the same time, the correspondent suggested that the report of the treaty should be treated with the utmost reserve.

The principal articles are said to provide for: —•

1. An immediate loan of 10,000,000 roubles to Urga (capital of Outer Mongolia) . 2. An air service four times a week between Chita and Urga. Service to he maintained by a fleet of 20 Soviet aeroplanes. 3. Unhindered Communisation of Mongolia. 4. Complete remodelling of the Mongolian army on Soviet linos._ 5. Free transit for Soviet troops through Outer Mongolia,

Last month this alleged treaty featured prominently in the _ ‘ Berliner Tagoblatt,’ One result of this has been to produce a denial from the official spokesman for the Soviet Government of the existence of any such treaty. The articles set out do not carry conviction. It is known, for instance, in the case of article 2 that there is already established an air service between Urga and Vcrkhneudinsk, a railway town much closer to Urga than is Chita. As Outer Mongolia has been recognised for some years by Soviet Russia as an autonomous State it cannot .be thought that Communist propaganda has met with serious opposition, as article 3 suggests. Soviet Russia withdrew her troops from Outer Mongolio during 1925, in terms of an agreement between that State and China. At that time Mongol soldiers had been trained by Soviet officers. Article 4 presupposes that there are no instructors from the Soviet army in Outer Mongolia and that' none remained when the Soviet troops were withdrawn in 1925. If there bo any military treaty between Russia and Outer Mongolia the most important article would bo that suggested by article 5, concerning_ a matter which is of extraordinary interest to the Kwantung army in Manchukno, and, indeed, the War Office in Tokio. Japan would not readily consent, it is thought, to a Soviet army flanking her position on the western frontier of Manchukuo. Furthermore, in the event of war between Soviet Russia and Japan, the potential theatre of war is dominated by the Lake Baikal region. Japan, ip possession of this, could successfully cut off Eastern Siberia. Japan’s attack, to ensure the best prospect of success, must come from northern Outer Mongolia._ The Soviet Ambassador to China, M. Bogomoloff, in a speech at Nanking recently, stated that the Soviet “ made no secret of the fact that it was strengthening its borders; but had it not done so,” lie added, “war might have broken out some time ago.” Whether the military convention between General Bleuclier and General Teh he a matter of fact is open to doubt. That Soviet activity on tho borders is increasing there is less reason for doubt. Instructions have recently been issued from Leningrad for the construction to commence of no fewer than seven new railway lines, totalling approximately 9,000 kilometres. These new railways will, when completed, border Outer Mongolia and Chinese Turkestan. At tho beginning of last month at Manchnuli, in Northern Manchukuo, mot delegates from tho Government of Manchukuo and Outer Mongolia to confer regarding frontier questions arising out of the Lake Boir incident in January of this year. It is doubtful if a satisfactory conclusion will result. There is no later news of this conference. Generally, it is expected that increasing activity on the unsettled western frontier of Manchukuo will follow an increasing inactivity on the North China or Great Wall frontier.