LEAGUE COUNCIL

Greymouth Evening Star, 8 March 1926, Page 5

LEAGUE COUNCIL

DELEGATES TO GENEVA. • (Reuter.) LONDON, March 6. It appears that the admission of Germany to the Council will be a long-drawn process. She • will be first elected to membership, ana thereafter to a permanent Council seat, involving a succession of meetings of the Council and the Assembly. At these the 'Germans will not be present. It may be mid-week before the German delegates sit at the League table, thus affording ample time for informal conversations. It is understood that Sir J. Cook and Sil- J. Allen ae instructed to co-operate with Sir Austen Chamberlain in connection with the immediate admission of. Germany to a permanent seat' on the Council, but they are not committing themselves to contentious questions, such as the enlargement of the Council and the admission of Poland, Spain and Brazil until further instructed. Dr Stresemann, interviewed by Lady Drumnfbnd Hay (Daily Express correspondent) on the eve of his departure for Geneva, said that the responsibility for preventing changes in the League on the occasion of Germany’s entry must be borne in good faith by the so-called Lbcarho Powers.

Sir A. Chamberlain and other delegates departed for Geneva. .M. Briand will accompany him from Peiris, and attend preliminary conversations, but will not participate m the official deliberations, taking up the standpoint that since defeated i* l the Chamber, he is unable to pledge his Government. CONFLICTING OPINIONS. ( » t LONDON, March 6. General Primo de Rivera, in an interview in Madrid, said: “I consider that it is not only right in our national interests for Spain. to have a permanent seat, but it is in the interests of the world, because Spain genuinely represents the neutral and conciliatory attitude in the problems which fall to the League for solution.” VIENNA, March 6. Czecho-Slovakia favours enlarging the membership of the League of Nations Council, according to the Foreign Minister. M. Benes, when interviewed there. He added that a treaty with Hungary should not be difficult if sought in the spirit of the Locarno Pact. STOCKHOLM, March 6. Leaders of all parties in the Rikstag emphatically endorsed a statement by the Foreign Minister on the eve of his going to Geneva that the Swedish delegates to the. League Assembly would oppose any proposal to reorganise the Council in the course of the March session, apart from, the admission of Germany-

ITALIAN-GREEK PACT. ROME, March 6. Signor Mussolini had a conference with° the Greek Foreign Minister, M. Routes. It is’reported that the result was a complete understanding. M. Roufos said Signor Mussolini declared that Italy is desirous for the inauguration of an era of cordial cooperation among all the Balkan GENEVA, March 7. It is understood that M. Roufos, the Greek Foreign Minister, representing Greece at the League Assembly, discussed With Signor Mussolini in Rome, the possibility of a sort oi Graeco-Italian pact, ou guarantee of integrity and security of Albania. It is learned in Greek circles that such a pact to’which Jugo-Slavia may also adhere, would be a starting point towards a Balkan pact, wherein Italy would constitute a liason between it and tlie Locarno Pact.