EUROPEAN SETTLEMENT

Greymouth Evening Star, 24 July 1936, Page 7

EUROPEAN SETTLEMENT

THREE POWERS’ CONFERENCE

NEW AGREEMENT PROPOSED

[BY CABLE —PRESS ASSN. —COPYRIGHT.]

LONDON, July 23.

Despite rain and Winter-like cold, a fair crowd assembled at Downing Street to watch the Locarno delegates arrive at Number Ten. All were present at the opening meeting, except ing M. Blum, who arrives this afternoon. The conference is expected to devote some attention to Germany’s colonial claims. [BRITISH OFFICIAL WIRELESS.] RUGBY, July 23. At the end of to-day’s three-Power meeting in London, the following communique was issued: —“Representatives of France, Belgium, and. the United Kingdom, mindful of the arrangement on March 19, of the proposals of the German Chancellor and those of the French Government, arrived at the following conclusions: — Firstly, the main purpose to which the efforts of all European Rations must be directed is to consolidate peace by means of a general settlement. Secondly, such a settlement can onlybo achieved by the free co-operation of all Powers concerned, and nothing will be more fatal to the hopes for such a settlement than the division, apparent or real, of Europe into opposing blocs.

Thirdly, the three Governments accordingly consider that steps should be taken to arrange a meeting of the five Locarno Powers, as soon as such a meeting can conveniently be held. The first business to be undertaken should, in their opinion, be to negotiate a new agreement, to take the place of the Rhine Pact of Locarno, and to resolve, through the collaboration of all concerned, the situation created by the German initiative of March 7. Fourthly, the three Governments accordingly propose to enter into communication with the German and Italian Governments, with a view to obtaining their participation in the meeting thus proposed. Fifthly, if progress can be made at this meeting, other matters affecting European peace will necessarily come under discussion. In such circumstances, it will be natural to look forward to the widening of the area of d scussion, in such a manner as to facilitate, with the collaboration of the other interested Powers, the settlement of those problems, the solution of which is essential to the peace of Europe.

In British circles, the warmest tributes are paid to the spirit of sincere collaboration in which the French, and Belgian Ministers met their British colleagues, and joined whole-heartedly in the new attempt to reach, with th© free collaboration of all, an enduring European settlement. Before the delegates dispersed, arrangements were made for the communication by their diplomatic representatives in Berlin and Rome, to tho German and Italian Governments of their conclusions, together with an expression of tho hope that those,/'Governments would accept the invitation to a five-Power meeting.