PEACE TREATIES

Greymouth Evening Star, 31 July 1946, Page 7

PEACE TREATIES

Drafts for Five'Enemy . Countries ITALIAN PAYMENTS TO RUSSIA (Recd. Noon). LONDON, July 31. The texts have been released of the “Big Fours’ ” agreed clauses in the drafts for the five peace treaties between the Allied nations and Italy, Rumania, Hungary, Bulgaria and Finland. The bulk of the clauses are common to all, with other clauses in each treaty apposite to the country with which it was made, The treaty for Finland will be signed by Britain, Russia, , Australia, South Africa and Byelo-Russa, and those with Rumania, Hungary and Bulgaria additionally by the United States, New Zealand, India, Czechoslovakia, Greece, Ukraine and Jugoslavia. France joins all these nations in the treaty with Italy. The treaty for Italy first provides that Italy shall pay Russia 100.000,000 United States dollars reparations over seven years with deliveries from current industrial production postponed for two years, the quantities and types of goods to be delivered being subject to Russian-Italian agreement and to be selected in such a, way as to avoid interference with Italy’s economic reconstruction and the imposition of additional liabilities for the Allied Powers. Russia is to furnish to Italy on commercial terms the materials which arc normally imported into Italy and which are needed for the manufacture of reparations goods. Other reparations are to come from a share of Italian factory and tool equipment designed for the manufacture of implements of war and which are not readily susceptible to conversion to civilian purposes, and from Italian assets in Rumania, Bulgaria and Hungary.

The claims of other Powers, such as France, Jugoslavia, Greece, _ Albania and Ethiopia, will be considered at the Peace Conference, which will decide the extent to which they will be met. , Italian Frontiers. Secondly, the treaty provides that Italy’s frontiers will be those existing on January 1, 1938, subject to a number of modifications. All tei - ritory east of the line known as the French line shall be ceded to Jugoslavia. -fhe free territory of Trieste shall be constituted within the French line, bounded to the north by a line drawn from Duino to the French line,

The exact line of all Italy’s new frontiers is to be determined by a boundary commission, composed of representatives of the Governments concerned. The commissioners will refer disagreements to the four Ambassadors in Rome.

The integrity and independence of the free territory of Trieste are to be assured by the Security Council, which will appoint a governor who will report annually to the council. Italy is to cede to Jugoslavia the commune of Zara, certain neighbouring and adjacent islets and also the demilitarised island of Pelagosa. Italian fishermen are to have the same rights in the waters of Pelagosa as Jugoslav fishermen enjoyed prior to April 6, 1941. Dodecanese Islands.

Thirdly, the treaty provides that Italy will cede to Greece the Dodecanese islands, which will remain demilitarised. The procedure for transfer is to be determined between Britain and Greece.

Fourthly the treaty provides that Italians who were domiciled on June 10, 1940, in territory transferred by Italy to another State will become citizens of that State, but are entitled to exercise the option of Italian citizenship within a year and, if they do so, may be required to move to Italy within a year from the date from which the opition is exercised.

Fifthly, the treaty provides that Italy recognises the independence of Ethiopia and will restore all historical objects and works of art removed from Ethiopia since October 3, 1935.

Sixthly, the treaty provides that Italy renounces the right and title to former Italian territorial possessions in Libya, Eritrea 'and Somaliland which will continue., under the present administration pending final disposal, which will be determined by Britain, Russia, France and America.

Frontier Modifications.

Seventhly, the treaty provides for a number of modifications to be made on the Italian frontier in the neighbourhood of Little St. Bernard pass, Mont Cenis plateau, Mont Thaber and Chabertton, also in the' upper Tinee, Vesubie and Roya valleys. Eighthly, the treaty provides that France and Italy will co-operate for establishing railway connection between Briancon and Mobane, via Bardonneche, and for authorising on it passenger and freight traffic free of customs inspections, duties, passports and other formalities.

Ninthly, the treaty provides for an exchange of guarantees concerning hydro electric power and water supplies from the lake of Mont Cenis.

Frontier Fortifications.

Tenthly, the treaty provides that Italy will destroy and remove fortifications >within 20 kilometres of the new frontier with France and be forbidden to establish new fortification or expand the existing fortification on the Dalmatian coastal belt of island's. Italy within a year is to demilitarise Pantallaria, Lampedusa, Lampione and Linosa. Italy is prohibited from constructing military, naval and air force installations in Sicily and Sardinia, except accommodation for security forces required for internal tasks. Eleventhly, the treaty restricts the navy to two battleships, four cruisers, four destroyers, 16 torpedo-boats, 20 corvettes and such minor vessels as can be manned by 2500 personnel. Excess units are to be surrendered to Russia, Britain, America and Fiance for disposal, and also the sinking and scrapping of submarines and nonoperational ships.

Restricted Services. Twelfthly, the treaty restricts naval personnel to 22,500, army 185,000, carabinieri 65,000 air force 25,000 and limits army tanks to 200, the air ( force to 200 armed fighter reconnaissance aircraft and. 150 unarmed air-sea rescue, training and liaison types. Thirteenthly, the treaty provides that Italy renounces her benefits and privileges in China, including the concession of Tientsin, and rights in the international settlements of Shanghai and Amoy.

Fourteenthly, the treaty recognises the independence of Albania and renounces the island of Saseno to Albania. .. ~ , Fifteenthly, the treaty provides that Italy and Austria will guarantee the free movement of passenger and freight traffic between North Tyrol and East Tyrol. Terms for Rumania. The treaty with Rumania, first, restricts Hie army to 120,000, plus anti-aircraft and artillery of 5000 men, navy to 5000 men and . a total tonnage of 15,000, and the air force to 150 aircraft, including not more than 100 combat types, and 8000 personnel.

Secondly, the treaty frontiers as those on January 1, 1941, excepting that the Russian-Hungarian frontier of January 1, 1938 must be restored. Thirdly, the treaty provides that Rumania must make good Russia s losses resulting from Rumanian military operations and the occupation ol Soviet territory. Fourthly, the treaty provides that Rumania must pay Russia reparations amounting to 300,000,000 United States dollars for eight years from September 12, 1944, in the form of oil products, grain, timber and machinery. POSTAL STRIKE DELAYS ; REPORTS (Rec. 11 a.m.) LONDON, July 30. A 10-hour strike of French postal workers is delaying press reports ol the Paris conference. A skeleton staff is handling outgoing traffic. There is a three-hour delay in telephone calls between London and Paris.