NEW ZEALAND VIEWS ON PEACE TREATIES

Greymouth Evening Star, 5 February 1947, Page 7

NEW ZEALAND VIEWS ON PEACE TREATIES

Democratic Federation For Germany (Recd. 11.40 a.m.) , LONDON, February 4. New Zealand’s delegate, Mr. W. J. Jordan, to-day submitted memoranda on the German and Austrian treaties to the Foreign Ministers’ deputies. He urged that the Austrian treaty must ensure that Austria pays the full penalities for her share in the war, but remains economically and politically independent. “Austria can best contribute to Europe’s future security if she can achieve a prosperous existence free from German domination,” says the memorandum dealing with Austria.

In the absence of specific proposals for the revision of Austrian boundaries, New Zealand recommended that they should remain as they were before the anschluss. Germany’s War Potential. The German memorandum did not specifically mention the Ruhr in the passage emphasising the need .for careful study of the value of detaching and placing under international control areas vital to Germany’s war potential. “Some such detachment may be the. lesser evil if the only real alternative is the freedom of a large and powerful Germany to resume the former courses of aggression.” The memorandum supported the Australian contention that 18 of the smaller nations must share in the preparation of the treaties. New Zealand suggested that a German democratic federation would be the most effective political structure

to ensure security against renewed aggression. Prussia should be broken up into regions, serving as constituent federal units. Long overdue land reform and measures designed to break dangerous monopolies should be made treaty obligations, if they are not completed under the occupation. , Solution Must Be Found. A solution of Germany's acute economic distress must be found in a way which would not limit security against renewed aggression, the memorandum adds.

The memorandum concluded: “New Zealand does not favour inclusion in the treaty of an undertaking to support Germany’s admission to the United Ijations. Governments should be left free to judge Germany’s application on its merits when the United Nations is taking into account her conduct following the conclusion of the peace treaty.”