NAVAL AGREEMENTS

Evening Star, Issue 22817, 27 November 1937, Page 30

NAVAL AGREEMENTS

POSITION OF BRITAIN RUSSIANS MAKE DIFFICULTY One of the greatest diffi cll ]tlGS in negotiating the Anglo-Soviet ana Anglo-German naval agreements, _it was revealed in London, was a Russian demand that Soviet Far Eastern warships bo exempted from the provisions for limitation of the type of vessels and for advance notification of Britain of building programmes, says the London correspondent of the “ New York Times.” Following is the text in part of Soviet Russia’s conditional exemption from limitations: — “ First, after the date of the coming into force of the present agreement no vessl exceding the limitations as to displacement or armaments prescribed by this part of the present agreement shall be required by either contracting Government or constructed by, for, or within the jurisdiction of either contracting Government. “ Second, it is understood, however, that the Soviet Government shall not be bound by the limitations and' restrictions of this part of the present agreement in so far as the Soviet Far Eastern naval forces are concerned, so long as there shall not be concluded a special agreement between the U.S.S.R. and Japan on this subjct. Nevertheless, the Soviet Government will not construct or acquire any vessels exceeding said limitations and restrictions except in the event of such construction or acquisition by Japan or, any other Power in the Far East. “ Third, should the Soviet Government as a result of such construction or acquisition by Japan or any other Power in the Far East decide to construct or acquire vessels exceeding the said limitations or restrictions, notification to that effect shall be made to the Government of the United Kingdom, and the vessels concerned shall not bo laid down or acquired until after this notification has reached the Government of the United Kingdom. CONFIDENTIAL ADVICE. “ Fourth, the Government of the United Kingdom will treat as confidential any informaton received under the preceding paragraph, subject to the right to transmit it confidentially to any Power with which that Government is in treaty relations similar to those of the present agreement. “ Fifth, nothing in Paragraph 2 above shall entitle the Soviet Government to construct or acquire any vessel exceeding the limitations or restrictions prescribed by this part of the present agreement for service, or to employ such vessel on service elsewhere than in the Far East, wherever the vessel may be constructed or acquired. The Soviet Government shall equally not be entitled by anything in Paragraph 2 above to transfer from the Soviet Far Eastern to the Soviet Baltic or Black Sea fleet any vessel constructed or acquired in the exercise of the right conferred by that paragraph.” .Appended to the, Anglo-German agreement, which out of deference to Berlin is in both English and German, while the Anglo-Soviet Pact is in English only, is a letter from Mr Anthony Eden, British Foreign Secretary, to Herr Joachim von Ribbentrpp, German Ambassador —dated July 17, 1936 —authorising Germany under certain conditions to have all five heavy cruisers permitted her “ in principle ” under the Anglo-German agreement of 1935. , , The Note discloses a secret pledge from Germany in 1935 to build only three out of the five heavy cruisers permitted, and it also reveals that Russia is planning to build seven 8,000ton cruisers. The letter said in part: A RIGHT FORGONE. “ In accordance with the provisions of the agreement regarding limitation of naval armament embodied in Notes exchanged between the Government of the United Kingdom and the German Government on June_ 18, 1935, Germany was entitled in view of the existing strength of the aggregate forces of the British Commonwealth of Nations in that sub-category to construct five cruisers in sub-category AAA —that is, cruisers with a maximum displacement of tons and a maximum gun calibre of Sin. “In the course of the discussion which took place between the representatives of the German and United Kingdom Governments in June, 1935, the” German Government agreed, ns their contribution to limitation in the construction of large cruisers, to forgo their right to construct fourth and fifth sub-category AAA cruisers, provided that no further vessels in this sub-category be laid down by any other Power, “ The Government of the United Kingdom having subsequently informed the German Government of the intention of the U.S.S.R. to construct seven vessels in sub-category AAA with a displacement of 8,000 tons and a gun calibre of 7.lin, the German .Government informed the Government of the United Kingdom that they could no longer maintain their intention not to construct fourth and fifth AAA cruisers, and the Government pf the United Kingdom recognised that the German Government was entitled to regard the previous Anglo-German understanding on this point as having lapsed. “ Nevertheless, in their earnest desire to prevent loss of the building holiday for AAA cruisers which was agreed to in the London Naval Treaty, the German Government have stated they are prepared not to avail themselves of their freedom of action unless special circumstances arise which may compel them to do so. Should they decide to exercise their rights in this respect they would, before the work of construction or conversion commenced, notify their decision to the Government of the United Kingdom, who would he authorised to transmit it confidentially to the other naval Powers with whom they are in similar treaty relations.” Herr von Ribhentron. replving the same day. said Mr Eden bad correctly stated the view of the German Government.