REPLIES TO ANGLO-FRENCH INVITATION SHOW A DIVIDED EUROPE

Evening Star, Issue 26151, 12 July 1947, Page 7

REPLIES TO ANGLO-FRENCH INVITATION SHOW A DIVIDED EUROPE

* LONDON, July 11. Yesterday was the final day by which the 22 nations invited to the Paris conference were requested to reply. Fourteen have accepted —namely, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Greece, Iceland, Eire, Italy, Luxembourg, Holland, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, and Turkey. Eight have refused—Albania Czecno-Slovakia* Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Rumania, Yugoslavia, and Finland. The eastern side of Europe has thus excluded itself from the conference. The diplomatic correspondent of 'The Times’ says that the replies which'have been received, both from countries which reject the invitation and from some which have accepted, show that many misunderstandings still persist. Excuses for rejection are stated in a most extreme manner by the Yugoslav'Government, which ( says that to take part “in ail organisation.set up in advance without its co-operation and with the agreement only of the British and French Governments cannot be reconciled with the customary principle of co-operation among sovereign States. ” The Belgrade Government then repeats many of the arguments used by M. Molotov, declaring that the needs of the most heavily afflicted countries were being neglected, and that in any case the scheme would involve “ interference in internal affairs.” At the other end of the scale one or two of the accepting Governments express the hope that no political discussions will be opened at Paris, and also state that there must be no interference with any national plans for developing trade. MR BEVIN ARRIVES IN PARIS FOR OPENING OF CONFERENCE (llec. 10.30 a.m.l •’ LONDON, July ll. § Mr' Bevin arrived at Le Bo urge t airport, Paris, this evening for the talks which begin' to-morrow. When asked what he thought of the prospects of the Paris conference Mr Bevin replied: “Silence is golden.” Before leaving. Northolt aerodrome, England, Mr BOvin joked with reporters. He said: “I shouldn’t be going if I didn’t think the talks will do good.” He said he would be back on July 16. ■ M. Bidault, after greeting Mr Bevin at Le Bourget, remained there to welcome Count Sforza (Italy). \ The French Foreign Ministry announced that M. Bidniilt will try to persuade the delegates that all sessions of the conference on the Marshall plan should’ be open to full publicity . Reuter says Moscow radio anticipated the Czech announcement of refusal to attend the Paris conference as it had anticipated Finland’s refusal. Moscow radio yesterday afternoon discussed the Czech refusal as a matter of course, although Cabinet’s decision to reverse earlier acceptance wa9 only made after a long discussion lasting into vesterdav evening. The Tass Agency reported from Bucharest that the Rumanian reply to the invitation said any plan fot Europe’s economic rehabilitation could achieve its object only jf based on Cooperation with the' SoVifet tlriion, “The organisation which the British and French. Goveunments suggested would Inevitably result in infringement of European nations’ independence and intervention in their internal affairs,” it said. The reply went on to declare that the Soviet, with its abundant natural resources, the volume of its agriculture, and the discipline of its Tgbour was ‘‘ the essential, basis of any organisation aimed at Europe’s rehabilitation.” The reply concluded that was why the Rumanian Government was unable to co-operate in the undertaking, which it considered was “ economically useless and politically dangerous.” FINLAND'S REJECTION CAUSES SURPRISE (Rec. 10 40 a.m.) HELSINKI, July 11. Moscow radio’s announcement that Finland had rejected the invitation to the Paris conference on the Marshall plan caused surprise. A Helsinki official spokesman said the Parliamentary Foreign Affairs (lommission yesterday recommended provisional acceptance, but a decision was pot filially taken until this afternoon when the Ga binet without discussion unanimously voted against acceptance. ALLEGED SOVIET PRESSURE AGAINST CZECHOSLOVAKIA (Roc. 8 a.m.) LONDON, July 11. The Czecho-Slovakian Government’s decision to Withdraw from the Paris conference has surprised Czechs, says Reuter’s Prague correspondent. 'Many unhesitatingly . declared that it was due to dictation from Moscow. . The Comrtninist newspaper ' Rude Pravo declared that Czeclio-Slovakia would not participate in something involving interference with her sovereignty, and which would contain a sting against her main ally, the Soviet Union. The Social Democrat ' Pravo Lidu ' emphasised that Czecho-Slovakia was not abandoning the possibility of continued co-operation with the West. Commenting on Czecho-Slovakia’s reversal of her decision to attend the conference-, the diplomatic correspondent of ' The Times ’ says the news was announced significantly enough while the Czjßclio-Slovak Prime Minister and Foreign Minister were in Moscow. The correspondent sa.ys the change of mind is regretted in London, but the wording of the Prague announcement leaves little doubt about the strength of the Russiah arguments brought to bear on the Czechs

HUNGARY FEARS RUSSIAN REPRISALS IF SHE ACCEPTS

LONDON. July 9. It was reliably stated in Hndapest to-day that the Government had rejected the Anglo-French invitation to the Paris conference hecaiise the Communist lenders had- issued a warning that if Hungary accepted the Russians would immediately cut off the return of war prisoners, demand payments of war reparations in arrears, extend the confiscation of live stock, and indefinitely delav ratification of the peace treatv. M. Hallvard Lange, the Norwegian Foreign Minister, said in Oslo that the Scandinavian countries had agreed to confer with each other during the Paris conference, hut none would follow the others. He added that Norway did not sec any Western hlocforming in the Paris invitations and appealed for co-operation .■ in the reconstruction of Europe.