“PURELY POLITICAL ATTACKS”

Greymouth Evening Star, 16 December 1947, Page 7

“PURELY POLITICAL ATTACKS”

Mr Ernest Bevin presided at the “showdown session,” which was the longest of the present conference. Mr Molotov made a new proposal about Austria—suggesting that Russia take two-thirds of Eastern Austria’s oil production, instead of the 90 per cent, now claimed as a German asset. This was passed to the deputies. , ~ ... Mr Molotov also proposed that the Big Four head delegates from the “German People’s Congress” m BerThe other Ministers rejected this idea. M. Bidault maintained that the Berlin Congress did not represent the German nation. Mr Molotov declared that the demand for reparations had been inexplicably blocked. He proposed that the Soviet reparations proposals should be considered paragraph by paragraph. Mr Bevin said he felt a new situation had arisen. “My country, among others, has been falsely accused for propaganda purposes of taking things out of Germany. That is quite untrue. Britain’s Efforts “We have spent liberally from our own resources and Britain has had to go without food so that food might be distributed in Germany, because German unity was not established in accordance with the Potsdam agreement. _ . Mr Bevin, referring to Austria, said: “We agreed a year ago to reestablish Austria as a sovereign independent State. We still have no treaty. Must Austria, which is a nation of 7,000,000, wait until a nation of 200,000,000 reveals its claim? This is making a mockery of the declaration signed in Moscow four years aS Mr Bevin listed a number of subjects, including the Saar frontiers and the first charges on Germany s foreign exchange resources, on which

the Ministers could not get an answer from the Soviet delegation. He denied that the British Government, either at Yalta or Potsdam, committed itself to claims for reparations from current production.. “I can only conclude that this constant attack on us is purely political. We still ask for an answer whether .the acquisition of German enterprises will be liquidated. “We want a democratic Germany, not a bogus democracy where a few men exercise tyrannical power. We want a central not a centralised German Government, which can become dictatorship. We do not want a puppet Government.” Mr Molotov said it was clear that Mr Bevin and General Marshall were acting to one plan. General Marshall’s adjournment suggestion was a decision to act in the same unilateral manner as on several previous occasions. , “The Soviet Government cannot be spoken to the same as the present Greek Government,” added Mr Molotov.

General Marshall said: “I hope that 'when we meet again it will be in an atmosphere more conducive to the settlement of differences.” M. Bidault: “I agree.” Mr Molotov’s Silence Mr Molotov said: “I have no remark to make.” Mr Bevin: “We must be unanimous or we sit here forever.” Mr Molotov: “I have no remarks and no objection.” There was silence when Mi* Bevin asked for any suggestions about the time or place of the next meeting. Mr Bevin thanked the delegates for attending and hoped they would meet in a better atmosphere. The three other delegates briefly thanked him for the British hospitality and so the conference ended.