Greymouth Evening Star. FRIDAY FEBRUARY 14, 1947. Anglo-French Treaty Plan

Greymouth Evening Star, 14 February 1947, Page 4

Greymouth Evening Star. FRIDAY FEBRUARY 14, 1947. Anglo-French Treaty Plan

|T seems a reasonable certainty that the treaty negotiations between Britain and France will be brought to a swift and successful conclusion. According to the cable news, the belief exists in Paris that, following the unanimous approval given to the French proposals by the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Assembly, M. Bidault, now Foreign Minister again, will sign the completed pact before he leaves early in March for the Foreign Ministers’ Conference in Moscow.

The starting point for the present discussions was doubtless the talk last September between Britain and French officials on financial, and commercial matters, which resulted in the signature of 1 an agreement in principle. The official statement then issued referred to the anxiety of both Governments “Io secure free movement, and a general expansion of world trade,” and lhe recognition that “healthy relations in economic and financial matters between France and the United Kingdom would help both countries to play their due part../’

The solid advantages of an entente were undoubtedly M. Blum’s best argument when he visited ' London a few weeks ago. These were emphasised in the official statement on the talks, which, after recognising that both nations had “an equal interest in protecting themselves against a fresh German menace,” referred at length to “lhe close links which exist between the two countries in the commercial and industrial fields.” Among the subjects M. Blum is believed to have discussed was a. proposal for a customs union, a practical step in line with those already taken by several of the smaller European countries. If litis is achieved, the natural economic links between the two countries should be strengthened in their mutual interest, as a necessary prelude to a closer integration of the whole economy of Western Europe, at present sadly disorganised by the aftermath of six years of war. Russian Attitude. The first concern of M. Bamadier’s Government is the economic rehabilitation of France. Here M. Blum in his brief tenure of office charted a course which his successor will probably follow. It is based a t hom c on “ d efl at> on ” an cl th e Monnet plan for industrial modernisation, and abroad on close integration with the British economy—what lias been aptly termed the marrying of the Monnet and Morrison plans. Indeed, a. more practical temper seems io Ije emerging in French affairs, which, on lhe domestic side, was demonstrated by the swift decisions* taken in the election, of a President and formation of a Government —in marked contrast to the hopeless deadlock in Paris before .Christmas.

Russia, has set her face against any action savouring of the creation of a Western “bloc,” but in the broader view, such a move as is contemplated by Britain and France, with the existing Anglo-Soviet and Franco-Soviet treaties, will complete Ihe triangle of basic European alliances and. possibly, as a French statesman foreshadowed, lead to a threePower pact. In any east, the same argument which Russia has adduced in support of a Soviet-sponsored grouping ol the Eastern European States —community of interests in commerce, defence and cultural, development-—surely applies also with ecpial force to the West. The AngloFrench negotiations may be regarded partly as representing a move against a resurgence of exclusive nationalism and thus a move towards a saner world. On that basis they should be as welcome in Moscow as in Paris or London. The Russians cannot continue to talk with two voices and hope, at the same time, to have their objections taken seriously.