INCONCLUSIVE MIDDLE EAST TOPICS

Evening Star, Issue 25678, 29 December 1945, Page 4

INCONCLUSIVE MIDDLE EAST TOPICS

RUSSIA'S UNILATERAL TREND

LONDON, December 28. " The creation of a four-Power 'council for dealing with Japanese affairs marks a new phase in Far Eastern history full of opportunities for fruitful collaboration between all the Powers with major interests in the Pacific," comments 'The Times.' "The. lively and growing interest of (Russia in the vast Asiatic territories and the influence which Russian power inevitably exerts on the neighbouring Asiatic nations make her place in the settlement of Asiatic affairs incontestable. Her interest in peace in Asia'is at least as great as that of any other Great Power." Regretting that no conclusions were recorded for the conversations which are known to have been held on Middle Eastern questions, notably those concerning Turkey and Persia, 'The Times ' says: " They are cases in which the Russian Government has shown a disposition to resort on its own account to that kind of unilateral action which it criticised the American Government for taking elsewhere. It is clear that the solution to the problems could only take the form of an agreement to hold a tripartite Consultation as a prelude to action. The precedent of Rumania, for which a threePower commission is being established, might well be applied to Persia."