REPARATIONS ISSUE

Greymouth Evening Star, 18 April 1946, Page 7

REPARATIONS ISSUE

Russians and French Help Themselves i NOT AWAITING SHARE-OUT

(Recd. 10.40 a.m.) LONDON, April 17. Reports that the Russians and the French are already helping themselves to materials in their zones in Germany while Britain and America are patiently waiting for the official share-out under the reparations agreement are causing considerable unfavourable comment in British circles in Berlin, says Reuter’s Berlin correspondent. There is much material which Britain could usefully employ in the programme of national rehabilitation, but it is unlikely to become available from the reparations pool until British factories .are..in a position to produce the necessities themselves The first advance shipment of reparations to Russia, due to leave Germany soon, will--total 2,600 tons. It will include materials for shipbuilding, aircraft production and ball-bearing manufacture. -■

Russia, by a strict interpretation of the reparations clause of the. Potsdam agreement, is attempting to gain a large measure of control of industry and finance in its zone in Austria, states Reuter’s Vienna correspondent. The correspondent adds that Britain and America under the Potsdam agreement renounced their claims to share the German assets in Eastern Austria, which is now a Russian zone and where about 75 per cent, of Austrian industry is located. There were some German assets in Austria before its annexation .in 1938 The greater part of Austria s commerce afterwards came under German control. Many undertakings had to be signed over to the Germans. The Russians argue that ah the major concerns in their zone constitute German assets. ThBritish and American control authorities express the opinion this goes far beyond the Potsdam intentions. The Austrian government also publicly opposes the Russian view.