RUSSIA REPLIES

Greymouth Evening Star, 4 April 1946, Page 7

RUSSIA REPLIES

Undertaking Given to UNO ' PERSIA SUGGESTS SOLUTION

(Recd 2 p.m.) NEW YORK, April 3. . The United Nations Security Council met again to-day when replies from Russia and Persia regarding the situation in Persia were received. The Soviet delegate, Mr. Gromyko, did not attend the meet-

The Russian reply consisted of a lettep from Mr. Gromkyo to Secretary-General, Mr. Lie, in which he said the withdrawal of the Russian troops from Persia did not depend on other Sovie " er ■ negotiations, such as oil or political concessions. The questioni coni - ing the evacuation of troops was solved by the understanding rea between the Soviet and Persian Governments. As to other questions, they were not connected with the withdrawal of the troops. The letter stated that the Russian troops would be withdrawn ‘from Persia in a month and a-half. Mr. Gromyko did not repeat the previous qualification, ffif no unforeseen circumstances occurred The Persian letter on behalf of the Prime Minster. Ghavam Sul taneh said that Persia was animated by no spirit of hostility and J °P® that a settlement would be reached. Persia offered to let the United Nations Security Council shelve the Persian case temporally provided the Russian troops were withdrawn unconditionally by May t. Setter from the Persian Ambassador, Hussein Ala, in part said that following the failure of the Persian-Soviet nego££o™ “ “° s “ n g earlier this year, the Russians advised that then tro °P s were g evacuated if no unforeseen circumstances occurred. About the same time the Russians handed the Persian Government other memoranda rioniino' with oil Questions and political conditions in Azerbaijan p S Ths negoS with Russia failed and the Russian interference m Persian affairs continued. Russia’had also made demands parallel with the troop withdrawals, but, above all, Persia wanted a fliendly and peaceful settlement of the situation.

The United States Secretary of State, Mr. Byrnes, asked Hussein Ala what he would suggest. Hussein Ala replied that if the Soviet representative would be willing to withdraw the condition of “unusual circumstances,” which he attached to the troop withdrawal and give the Security Council an assurance of the withdrawal of all the Soviet forces from Persia by May 5 at the latest, Persia would be willing not to press for further consideration of the matter before the Security Council at the present time, provided the matter was retained on the agenda. Security Council Adjourns. The President, Dr. Quo Tai-chi, then adjourned the Council till torpor row.

The Associated Press learned that the Security Council will hold a closed session later in the day. It is also learned that steps will be taken more or less unofficially to inform Mr. Gromyko fully of to-day’s developments.

The atmosphere of this morning’s meeting on the whole was quiet. The spirit of excitement which was aroused because of the uncertainty whether Russia would reply at all was eased when the Secretary-Gen-eral announced that a Russian message had been received. Members generally agreed that substantial progress had been made. Russia did not snub the council but instead gave the substance of the main information required. Oh the other hand, Persia’s reply, in conjunction with Hussein Alas statement, offered a possible solution. While there are no immediate optimistic predictions, the atmosphere seemed distinctly hopeful when the council adjourned. ■ . “Three hundred Russian troops today boarded a steamer at the Caspian Sea port of'Bandar Shar for evacuation to Baku,” say Reuter’s Teheran correspondent. “Observers flying over the port saw a large number of other troops waiting with horses and tanks. “Three other ships are standing oil Bandar Shar. Observers estimate that 3000 troops are concentrated in the area.” , „ The questions asked by the Security Council, to which replies are awaited from Moscow and Teheran, were about the nature of the present negotiations between Russia and Persia, and whether the withdrawal of the Red Army troops was contingent on agreement on any other subjects. The Washington correspondent of the New York Times said yesterday: “It now appears almost certain that the Soviet will return to the Security Council table on Thursday when the rules drafted by the Procedural Committee will be submitted. The committee yesterday announced agreement on 18 minimum rules. Soviet delegates continued to participate in the work of the committee in spite of Mr. Gromyko’s walk-out from the Security Council.”