PEACE MAKING

Greymouth Evening Star, 3 August 1946, Page 5

PEACE MAKING

: Canadian Proposal to Big Four MOVE. TO EXPEDITE WORK (Recd. 11.25 a.m.) ' PARIS, August 2. Mr. Mackenzie King’ (Canada), speaking at the Paris Conference, proposed that the “Big Four’’ Foreign Ministers should meet during the Paris conference. South Africa made a supporting proposal. Mr. Mackenzie King said he would like to see the four Great Powers willing to consider promptly any changes in the Foreign Ministers’ proposals “which were seriously suggested by strong arguments.’’ This course would facilitate the immediate acceptance of any agreed modification of draft treaties and avoid the necessity of votes and divisions. White Russia’s delegate, M. Kisselov, declaring that certain of the “Big Four” proposals were “entirely unacceptable,” particularly criticised the decision on Italian colonies. He said: “Any further presence of British troops in these colonies will be interpreted by public opinion as a British, attempt to influence these territories unduly.

M. Jan Masaryk (Czechoslovakia), speaking in English, was emphatic that the Czech people would not accept a renewal of minority right treaties for foreign groups within their borders. He said: “If the Czech Government should try to force the people into such minority treaties, it would most likely have to look for another job.” The Associated Press correspondent says that although M. Masaryk did not mention Hungarian minorities by name, it was obvious that he was referring to this group, which under the treaties after the Great War had practical autonomy within the Czech borders. M. Masaryk referred to the links in war with the Western Powers. He then expressed pride at the record of the Czech forces on the Eastern front. He declared that Czechoslovakia did not want a “peace of vengeance.” It wanted “permanent peace.” Amendments Moved. M. Masaryk received the greatest ovation so far, the applause lasting two minutes. However, the chamber throughout the session was about one-third full. Neither Mr. Molotov nor Mr. Byrnes were present when M. Kisselov spoke and Mr. Attlee left before the session ended. Four amendments were tabled regarding the disputed section of the conference rules, stipulating a two-thirds majority on questions of substance. New Zea- . land, Brazil, Holland and Jugoslavia all tabled amendments. Those of New Zealand, Brazil and Holland aimed at securing the simple majority procedure. Jugoslavia has taken a different course and proposes that no recommendation on the boundary issues should be valid unless the Allied Power, whose ethnic or national territory is affected, agrees. This is openly designed to safeguard the Jugoslav position in Trieste.

NEW ZEALAND MOTION FOR SIMPLE MAJORITY

PARIS, Aug. 1. The New Zealand delegation has given notice of motion that decisions of the Paris Conference should be by simple majority, according to agency correspondents. The motion proposes that if majority decisions are obtained in a conference commission, the commission’s report should be presented as a recommendation, preserving to the minority the right to report. New Zealand will also move that a Frenchman, representing the host Government, should be permanent chairman of the conference, instead of the appointment of a number of chairmen to preside in turn. Exchange of Views on Italy. Representatives of Britain and the Dominions met. privately and informally exchanged views on the economic clauses of the Italian treaty. The discussions took the form of a general pooling of ideas. The meeting will be continued to-morrow. South Africa is anxious that Italy should quickly regain her place in world economy and .trade, and would like to see the harsh restrictions eased, as an economically handicapped Italy must unfavourably affect South Africa’s Mediterranean trade. “A plan is.being developed in the lobbies of the Paris Conference to combine the work of the conference with what was to have .been a future separate stage of the peace-making, says Reuter’s diplomatic correspondent. “The aim is to persuade the Big Four to work simultaneously with the conference so-that they will be ready to approve and sign the final drafts of the .five treaties while the x representatives of the former e©emy States are still in Paris, where they have come to present their views to the conference. Two proposals appear to be taking shape: (1) That any member State of the conference should have direct access to the Council of Foreign Ministers during the conference; (2) that the Big Four should meet periodically to consider their attitude to proposals as they emerge from the conference. The Canadian delegation is credited with initiating these proposals.” A Greek move to enable delegates to raise new peace questions not provided for under the draft rules drawn up by the Council of Foreign Ministers received widespread support at the morning’s meeting of the Rules Committee. Mr. Molotov said he agreed with the Greek proposal in principle, and his suggestion was adopted that an amendment should read- “The conference may put on the agenda at the request of one or more delegations any questions pertaining to the peace treaties. The committee incorporated this in the rules. Dutch Proposal Rejected. The rules committee rejected by 11 votes to nine a Dutch proposal. that all 21 member nations should sit on the conference’s committees. Tfie Dutch spokesman said that all members, to a greater or less extent, had fought in the common struggle. A formal declaration of war by any of the Allies was often due .to purely accidental circumstances beyond the control of member States. Sir Hector McNeil' (Britain) opposed the proposal on the ground that

it would make the committees unwieldy and delay the work of the conference. Mr. Molotov agreed with the British view and suggested that the representatives of States not on committees could be heard if they desired it. Sir’ Hector McNeil suggested wording Mr. Molotov’s proposal thus: “In any of the above-mentioned committees the representatives of any State not a member of the committee concerned may be heard on notifying the president.” The committee unanimously agreed to Mr, Molotov’s proposal as re-worded by Sir Hector McNeil. The committee adjourned till tomorrow.