RUSSIA'S CHARGES

Evening Star, Issue 25700, 25 January 1946, Page 5

RUSSIA'S CHARGES

.BRITAIN WANTS COUNCIL DECISION "NOTHING TO HIDE OR EXPLAIN AWAY" LONDON, January 24. The British Government strongly desires that the Security Council should as soon as possible decide how it will deal with the Persian complaint against Soviet interference in North-west Persia and the Russian and Ukrainian charges against British actions in Greece and Indonesia. If the. Government has its way these three issues will be placed high up on the Council's agenda, says ' The Times ' diplomatic correspondent. The British Government's actions have been publicly impugned, and it wishes to take the first opportunity of publicly denying the charge. It believes that the Council is the place in which its case should be made. It has nothing to hide or explain away. Any delays, in its view, would only worsen the situation in Greece and! Persia, .and perhaps also in Indonesia. The Security Council met last night. The Exchange Telegraph's diplomatic correspondent says it is understood that the meeting considered the ap- ■ pointment of the secretary-general, but no decision was reached. The Persian, Greek, and Indonesian questions were not discussed. The Council adjourned without fixing a date for a further meeting. The Persian, Greek, and Indonesian questions will soon come before the Security Council, says the Press Association's diplomatic correspondent. Earlier suggestions that these matters might be postponed were based on maccuracies. The American delegation to-day denied that they had proposed a postponement until the second half of the United Nations session. The crux of the matter is that the questions come before the Security Council and not before the Assembly, which, having completed its work in London, will adjourn till spring, but under the terms of the Charter, the Security Council must function. It has now been formally constituted, and must deal with matters brought to its notice. Mr Byrnes's departure could make, no difference, for the United States representative ou the Security Council is Mr Stetinius.

The British view is that since the questions have been raised and placed on the agenda, they have no intention of supporting any move for a postponement; The Political and Security Committee to-night approved a report commending the establishment of a commission to deal with atomic energy. Tt will be presented to the Plenary Session for discussion to-morrow. The report states that the_ commission is conscious of the vast implications for the future of humanity involved in the discovery of atomic energy, and wishes to convey to the General Assembly the approbation and appreciation in committee discussions that the initiative should have been taken to make possible an international solution to the common problems confronting all alike by this revolutionary discovery.