FOREIGN SECRETARIES

Greymouth Evening Star, 10 December 1945, Page 6

FOREIGN SECRETARIES

‘ TO MEET AT MOSCOW ATOMIC ENERGY DEBATE LONDON, December 8. The British, American, and Rus • sian Foreign Ministers will meet in Moscow on- December 15, says th? Press Association’s diplomatic correspondent. “The meeting will primarily concern atomic energy, its con-, trol as a war weapon, and its development for the good of humanity. The Foreign Ministers, at the same time, will make every effort to get their council going again, so that the task of drafting the peace treaties may be resumed.” The correspondent added that there was no doubt that Mr. Bevin, Mr. Molotov, and Mr. Byrnes would meet under the provisions of the Yalta Declaration in a week’s time. Mr. Bevin was to have announced the meeting in the House of Commons yesterday afternoon, bi.u the statement was postponed at the last moment because of the necessity for consultations with Moscow. , The correspondent points out that the meeting is being held under t’ e Yalta agreement, whereby it was arranged that the three Foreign Ministers should confer _ every three months or so, in addition to other meetings of the Council of Foreign Ministers. This, therefore, will~ be a meeting of three, not of five, Powers. Steps are being taken to mform China and France of the nature of the meeting. No hard and fast agenda has .been prepared for the conference, although it is certain that opportunity will be taken to discuss American and Russian divergencies of opinion about the Far Eastern Control Commission.

I;; is emphasised in London that as France will not be represented at the meeting, matters of direct concern to her will not be discussed. Therefore, there is no question of the Ministers committing themselves m any matter affecting the French Government.

The diplomatic correspondent of “The Times”' says: “The purposes o ! the meeting are vague, but its basic: intention is clear. Mr. Bevin and Mr. Byrnes are going to Moscow for Irani; talks on the suspicions and mistrusts which have clouded . relations between the chief Allies in recent months. It is expected to provide ;.m opportunity to which. Mr. Bevin has looked .forward for ‘placing the cards on the table, face upwards.’ ” The Paris correspondent of the Associated Press says: “The French Cabinet is greatly disappointed that France has not been invited to par'ticipaie in the conference, news oi which has been received with pessimism, in view of the. absence oi France. One Minister commented that the Big Three had taken another decision which was bad for France.” FRENCH INTIMATION. PARIS, December 9. General de Gaulle’s office has issued a statement that France will no' protest against her exclusion from the Moscow talks if the subjects discussed relate to the atom bomb and do not concern her. However, if decisions are taken on subjects in which France is interested but is not consulted, she will not feel bound by any agreement reached at the conference and will immediately protest. JUGOSLAV CLAIMS (Rec. noon.) LONDON, Dec. 9. t The Belgrade radio says that Jugoslavia is claiming reparations totalling £240,000,000 for war damage. About 60 per cent, of the claim refers to material destruction and the remainder for removal to Italy and Germany of cattle and tools. The radio adds that Jugoslavia lost 1,706,000 people during the war, for whom no reparations are claimable. Therefore she hoped the Reparations Commission would favourably consider the claim for material reparations.