MINISTERS’ COUNCIL

Greymouth Evening Star, 12 September 1945, Page 5

MINISTERS’ COUNCIL

EUROPEAN PROBLEMS • DRAFTING PEACE TREATIES LONDON, Sept. 11. The Foreign Ministers of the five Great Powers will meet in London at 2.30 p.m. to-day to plan for the transition of Europe from the present state of armistice to peace. “The broad outlines of the peace treaties for Italy, Rumania, Hungary and Finland will be etched by the Big Five,” says the Press Association’s diplomatic correspondent. “Details will be worked out by deputies whom each Foreign Minister has appointed, and by the large technical staffs accompanying them, who will remain in London after the principals return to their own countries. Priority is given to the peace with Italy, because it is felt that she will be assisted in the tasks of reconstruction by the resumption of normal international relations. The chief difficulties will arise in frontier problems. The conclusion of the peace treaty with Finland should not be difficult. There will, however, be powerful arguments among the five strong personalities, who have not hitherto worked as a council, before the complicated Balkan situation, with its Greek and Jugoslav complications, is clarified and the treaties are drafted. The Council at a later stage will prepare the peace settlement for Germany for acceptance by the German Government when a Government adequate lor the purpose is established.” The French Foreign Minister (M. Bidault), interviewed in London, declared: “Europe is a unit and must not be divided.” He added: “Britain and France must proceed in harmony and good partnership. A system must not be evolved which would divide Europe. “The agenda for the Foreign Ministers’ meeting does not include the question of Germany, which is of great interest to France, who was not represented at Potsdam,” said M. Bidault. “It is desirable that the question should be examined and settled.” M. Bidault added that such discussions might include the appointment of German under-secretaries of State in the various occupation zones and the status of the left bank of the Rhine.

The Soviet Foreign Commissar (Mr. Molotov) arrived by air yesterday and the United States Secretary of State (Air. James Byrnes) was on board the Queen Elizabeth, which berthed at Southampton.

MR BYRNES’ STATEMENT (Rec. 10.50 a.m.) LONDON. Sept. 11. Unlike the conference at San Francisco, where the constitution of the United Nations’ organisation was under discussion, many very controversial questions would be discussed at the Council of Foreign Ministers, opening to-day, said Mr-Byrnes at a Press conference. The Council’s object was to bring together representatives of the Governments, in the hope that spade work so essential to drafting treaties might be undertaken. It was impossible for him to talk about the position that the United States Government would adopt towards all controversial questions on the agenda. If the United States Government undertook at present to define its position and other Governments did likewise,, the result would be fixation of views which would defeat the Council’s obiect. Mr Byrnes added the meeting would last about a fortnight. The Foreign Secretaries had to plan the work, then leave their Secretaries to carry on. If there then remained differences, the Foreign Ministers would return for future talks. Mr Byrnes said the agenda included preparation of treaties for the Balkan States. The agenda had been prepared at Potsdam. The Council would have to decide whether there would be discussions with the Jtalian Government on the Italian peace treaty—the first item on the agenda. The "inland waterways of Europe figured on the list. Therefore, it might bt? assumed that transport, food and coal problems throughout Europe would be considered. Asked about being tough towards Japan, Mr Byrnes said the situation in the Far East was very different from that in Europe. The surrender was proceeding in an orderly manner, but it would take until September 30 before some areas were occupied.

AUSTRIAN GOVT. (Recd. 12.30 p.m.) LONDON, Sept. 11. The British representatives alone objected to the recognition of the Renner Government at the first meeting of the Allied Control Council for Austria, reports the Exchange Telegraph’s Vienna correspondent. Marshal Koniev suggested extending the scope of the Renner Government throughout Austria and its recognition by all four Powers, Britain, France, Russia and America.' General Mark Clark, for the United States, and the French delegate said they would be agreeable if the others agreed. „ . . General McCreery, for Britain, strongly objected to the proposal on the ground that the Renne ( r Government was not representative. Discussions were deferred until Sept. 20. Meanwhile it is learned from American sources that Renner proposed to the Americans that he endeavour to form a more representative Government in view of the British objection,, FOOD AND TRANSPORT LONDON, September 11.' “Food, coal, and transport are the most pressing items on any international agenda,” says. “The Times” in a leading article. “Unless food and essential consumption goods can be produced in sufficient quantities, unless employment for the urban populations can be organised, unless vital public services can be restored. Germany this Winter faces the prospect of famine and probably pestilence on a scale experienced by no European country for several hundred years. The time has come to arrest the process of destruction and decay and to take positive measures to re-establish under Allied supervision those sectors of the German economy which are essential to the existence and livelihood of a large industrial nonulation and to the maintenance of European standards of living as a whole. The Foreign Ministers will gain little from the successful handling of other issues if they fail to come to grips with this, the gravest danger at present suspended over Eurone.” '

'“The Times” considers that Mr. Ernest Bevin’s special responsibilities during the meeting will include the maintenance of close contact with the Dominions’ representatives.