BIG FOUR MEETING

Greymouth Evening Star, 23 September 1946, Page 5

BIG FOUR MEETING

EARLY CONFERENCE EXPECTED IN PARIS PROCEDURE WRANGLE PARIS, September 22. The British Foreign. Secretary (Mr. Bevin) arrived in Paris by air yesterday. He conferred with the United States Secretary of State (Mr. James Byrnes) for 95 minutes soon after his arrival. “The Big Four are expected to meet soon after Mr. Bevin’s. return to Paris at the week-end,”.said Reuter’s correspondent yesterday. “The,, biggest immediate problem before them will be arranging a time-table for the final phase of the treatymaking—the phase in which they review the conference’s decisions and attempt to finish writing the treaties. There is a suggestion that this operation, which is expected to take at least a fortnight, might have to be carried out in New York, but every effort is being made to speed up the Paris programme.” Rumanian Oil. When the Balkans Economic Commission of the Paris Conference met this morning, the British delegate submitted modified proposals for the Rumanian. petroleum law, suggesting that the law of 1942 should be amended to remove discrimination againsi United Nations nationals, and that these nations should be afforded fair and equitable treatment in the petroleum industry. Reuter’s correspondent says that the meeting developed into the biggest procedural wrangle yet seen at the conference. Mr. Gusev (Russia) suggested that the compensation clauses in the British proposals should be deferred, and urged the rejection as unnecessary of the remainder of the British proposals that the 1942 petroleum law should be modified and that United Nations oil experts be permitted to enter Rumania to take up employment in the oil industry. The commission defeated by eight votes to six a Russian proposal to defer consideration of the compensation clauses of the British proposals, which were then put to the vote paragraph by paragraph. Replacement of Property.

The commission adopted by seven votes to six (France abstaining), Paragraph 1, laying down that complete restoration or replacement of damaged or destroyed property belonging to United Nations nationals engaged in the Rumanian petroleum industry should receive priority, or that the Rumanian Government should undertake to pay the equivalent of the assessed value of the property concerned. The chairman pointed out that as the decision was not made by a twothirds majority, the commission had the right to forward two separate reports to the Council of Foreign Ministers.

The commission carried by seven votes to six Paragraph 2, under which Rumania would agree to compensate United Nations nationals in the petroleum industry for all reasonable expenses incurred in carrying out provisional repairs or replacements of damaged property.

France voted in favour of Paragraph 3, incorporating Britain’s new proposals regarding modification of the petroleum law of 1942, which was carried by eight votes to six. The commission divided, seven votes to seven, on Paragraph 4, under which Rumania would be required to amend her labour law to allow high administrative personnel and technical experts from the United Nations to enter Rumania and exercise their professions in the petroleum industry without hindrance. France voted against the proposal. Mr. Gusev was voted down when he suggested that a final vote should not be taken. Procedural Impasse. When the British proposals as a whole were put to the vote the commission again divided, seven for and seven against. Mr. Gusev strongly objected to the voting procedure and declared, that the entire proposal should again be put to the ballot tomorrow in accordance with United Nations procedure under which, if voting is equal, a second vote is taken within 48 hours. There was much confusion on whether the vote on the whole of the proposals meant a vote on all four clauses or merely on the three approved ones. Senator Vandenberg (America) expressed the opinion that the voting procedure was fantastic. He maintained that the proposals as a whole now meant only the three clauses. The commission adjourned after a six hours’ meeting, still undecided on the procedural point. The chairman ruled that the earlier vote on the whole of the proposals was not final, and decided to refer the matter to the secretariat for solution. Oil Interests. In the Balkans Economic Commission Russia yesterday attacked Britain for giving protection to United Nations oil interests in Rumania. Mr. Gerachenko (Russia) said the British proposals amounted to an infringement of Rumanian sovereignty. Rumania should control all matters affecting the exploitation of her oilfields. She would obviously have to bear in mind her oil industry’s needs and interests. Mr. Gerachenko maintained that other articles of the Rumanian treaty provided adequately for' compensation and restitution for war damage, and that the special clause which Britain sought to include was inadmissible. The Netherlands (which also has interests in Rumania) supported the British proposals. Mr. de Bruyn (Netherlands) said the British proposals were intended merely to restore the pre-war position. Mr. Shmigov (White Russia) attacked the “vicious circle” whereby Rumania needed oil to pay for British steel which was needed for oil production. The Ukraine’s delegate described the British proposals as an attempt to obtain reparations under cover of compensation.