FOREIGN MINISTERS

Greymouth Evening Star, 14 September 1945, Page 5

FOREIGN MINISTERS

PEACE TREATY FOR ITALY TERRITORY DISPOSAL LONDON, Sept. 13. The Council of Foreign Ministers, meeting in London, adjourned to-day, after sitting two and a-half hours. It will not meet again till Friday because a large number of'documents have to be translated and studied. The Foreign Ministers met yesterday afternoon and began discussing the problems of a peace treaty for Italy. There are two main questions concerned—to determine which of the claims against Italy are fair, and what should be the treatment of a country which fought for the Axis and had now gone a long way towards “working its passage home.” Italy possessed four main territories in Africa, all of them at the moment under British military government. Whether the former Italian territories are to-come under trusteeship, as outlined at San Francisco, has to be decided, and if so, who is to be the trustee. The Greeks claim the Dodecanese Islands, which have a Greek population, from Italy, while the Jugoslavs are pressing for alterations in the status of Trieste and the hinterland, Austria desires the return of southern Tyrol, and France wants changes in the frontier over which the Italians launched their offensive against France in 1940. The British Government held a reception for the delegates in The House of Lords last night.

EGYPT OPPOSES RETURN

LONDON, Sept. 13. It is understood that the Egyptian Government has sent a Note to the Council of Foreign Ministers in London opposing the return of former Italian colonies to Italy. The Note demands access to Italian East African ports and also a Libyan plebiscite for independence. The diplomatic correspondent of the “Daily Express” says: “There are two proposals before the council. First, the American proposal that the Italians should be made trustees for Italian colonies under the world security organisation, and second, the British proposal that the United Nations should administer the colonies. A compromise is expected.” DOMINIONS’ REPRESENTATION. (Rec. 10 a.m.) LONDON, September 13. Discussions are proceeding among the representatives of the four Dominions in London with the object of obtaining either full Dominions’ representation on the Council of Foreign Ministers or devising a method whereby the Dominions can obtain a voice in the deliberations, probably through the British representatives. Australia and New Zealand particularly feel that although they have no direct interest, for example, in the territorial questions involved in framing the Italian peace treaty, they, as countries which fought Italy should have a voice in the settlement. Other Dominions endorse this view, which has the sympathy of the British Government. The Australian Associated Press understands that the Dominions urge their voice should be heard if only because their future is inextricably bound up with the shape of things to come in the new Europe. There is every prospect the Dominions’ wishes will be met. even though they might not be actually granted seats at the Council table. , „ The United Nations’ Preparatory Commission Executive Committee, after three hours’ discussion, failed to reach an agreement on the’ future organisation of the Preparatory Commission and the date of the General Assembly meeting. One proposal is that the Executive Committee finish its work not later than November 1, and the General Assembly meet on November 12 at the latest. Another proposal is the first meeting of the General Assembly should be convened in London not later than December 1. The Executive Committee is divided on the form the first meet inc of the General Assembly should fake. It agreed. on the motion of the Russian representative. Mr. Gromvko. that a sub-committee should review the proposals for the next Executive meeting.