"POKER" POLITICS

Evening Star, Issue 25699, 24 January 1946, Page 5

"POKER" POLITICS

Russia's Devious Tactics

Designs in Mediterranean

((Rec. 10.30 a.m.) LONDON, Jan. 23. Though there has been a tendency to criticise Russia and the Ukraine on ;fche surprise request to the Security Council to consider the situation in Greece and Indonesia, including comments such as " poker " politics, and "playing the diplomatic game according to the old rules," the official British attitude is that both inquiries would be welcomed.- It is not doubted that {Russia, having had her own policy in Persia brought to the notice of the Council, is retaliating by criticising British policy. Whether it is the function -of the Security Council to discuss the (Russian request is still being considered. It is pointed out that, while the three " situations " are parallel in form, the Persians' request was made by the recognised Government of the aggrieved country, but the Greek Government made no ' complaint against the . British troops, and the Indonesians have no properly-constituted authority capable of lodging a complaint. Comment from both the Greek and the Indonesian Premiers has been dis-

(N.Z.P.A. Special Correspondent.)

tinctly favourable to the presence of the British. The question asked is whether Russfa has chosen her ground wisely, for Article 2 of the U.N.O. Charter states: " Nothing contained in the present Charter shall authorise the United Nations to intervene in a matter which is essentially within the domestic jurisdiction of any State, or shall require members to submit such matters to settlement ~ under" the present Charter." At the moment it is expected that Britain will wait for (Russia to make the next move. Should Russia propose that tri-partite commissions, representing Britain, America, and Russia, be sent to Greece and Indonesia. Britain would raise no objection. She has already proposed that a commission should go to Greece to supervise the elections, a proposal which was accepted by France and America, but turned down by Moscow. The opinion is expressed that it will not be easy for the Russians to make out a prima facie case for the allegatiqn that the presence of British troops in Greece and Indonesia involves any danger to international peace.

Whaf About Russian-held Territory?

/Nor can it be argued that they are ithere illegally or improperly. But. as stated, the British Government will welcome inquiry. The Manchester ' Guardian's ' diplomatic correspondent observes: "In,the midst of the confusion there seems to be one certainty—namely, that Britain will not retaliate by demanding investigations into the situation in Russian-occupied territories. She is not contemplating calling the attention of the Security Council to'conditions in Russian-occupied Poland, the Balkans,

or Bornholm Island, which is still Rus-sian-occupied." He observes that anxiety about conditions in these areas certainly exists, but the effect of the Russian censorship makes it difficult to judge whether these conditions constitute a ".threat to peace" or not. He adds that it is being suggested that Moscow's request for an investigation on Greece is con- . nected more closely with Russia's ' desire for greater influence there than with any serious anxiety about a " threat to peace."

Devious Propaganda

Though she turned down the proposal for.a commission to go to Greece and supervise the elections, she has not been, above interfering. "During the past-few months the world has heard systematic Russian propaganda against almost every effort undertaken by the Greeks themselves or Britain in Greece. There is also enough evi- . dence to show that. Russia is sponsoring the drive for indirect control of Salonika, a port as decisive

for the Eastern Mediterranean as Trieste for the Adriatic and Central Mediterranean. " Perhaps these matters may be aired if the* Security Council looks into the situation in Greece." The postponed plenary meeting of the General Assembly and the next open meeting of the Security Council will be watched with interest for an indication of further moves in the " three situations," which have now become the overriding interests at U.N.O.