EMPIRE DELEGATES EXPRESS VIEWS ON JAPAN’S PEACE TERMS

Greymouth Evening Star, 3 September 1947, Page 8

EMPIRE DELEGATES EXPRESS VIEWS ON JAPAN’S PEACE TERMS

CANBERRA, September 2. The first conference of British Commonwealth Governments to be held in the southern hemisphere today concluded its business sessions which have extended over the last week. The exchanges of views which have taken place on various aspects of the occupation and the current situation -in Japan and on the scope and character of the peace settlement have been of great value.

The discussions are said to have revealed a wide harmony of views among the nations of the British Empire and also that close correspondence exists between those views and those of the United States,

. The desire was expressed that the peace conference should be called | without delay and begin on a policymaking. level, and also that, as with the Far Eastern Commission, all members of the United Nations who made a direct contribution towards winning the Pacific war should be represented, including the new Dominion of Pakistan. Though no formal decisions were taken, agreement was reached on voting procedure, the limitation of Japanese territory, and the- encouragement of democratic institutions in Japan. The delegates paid particular attention to the development and protection of trade unions as an essential element in encouraging democracy.

A supervisory commission on which all the Powers which . contributed directly to the Japanese defeat should be represented, was favoured as the best means to implement the aims of the treaty.