BIG THREE ISSUES IN MOSCOW

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 21899, 18 December 1945, Page 3

BIG THREE ISSUES IN MOSCOW

NEW BID FOR WORKABLE AGREEMENT

KEY TO UNITED - MAHONS’ CONFERENCE

(Special Correspondent.) (11 a.m.) , LONDON, December 17. “Fateful,” “eleventh-hour attempt” and “essential prologue to the General Assembly of the United Nations” are the descriptions given here to the meeting of the three Foreign Ministers in Moscow.

It is considered that the prospects of the United Nations Organisation will be practically decided by the way the conference develops. If the three Ministers are unable to find common ground for a workable understanding before the General Assembly meets, their dissensions would wreck the new organisation almost before it is launched. But because of the general realisation of the need for an agreement the outlook is not unpromising, although difficulties are real and stubborn.

This, in turn, has encouraged a more unaccommodating attitude on the part of the Russians The disagreement over the Balkan regimes and Russia’s policy in Persia constitute other main topics.

If Russia is willing to adopt an attitude towards Bulgaria and Rumania similar to that which she has recently shown in the case of Hungary and Austria, a solution of the Balkan issue is regarded as possible. Problems in Persia The problem of Persia is complicated by the fact that the Western Powers are in the dark about Russia's real intentions. Her immediate aim apparently was to induce the Teheran authorities to deal directly and solely with her in settling the North Persian issue. In this, the Russians appeared to have succeeded when the Persian Foreign Minister flew to Moscow. Now, however, the Persians are hoping to be allowed to present their case at a meeting of the three Foreign Ministers.

Some pertinent remarks on the conference are made by the Manchester Guardian in a leader. It states: ‘‘Never has a conference been arranged more clearly for one aim of pleasing Russia. ‘At first sight it is not easy to see why Russia should cling so tenaciously to the idea of Big Three diplomacy when her, partners have so plainly shown their distaste for it. As so often the answer must be sought not so much in the Russians’ wishes as in Russia’s fears. Soviet Fear of Isolation

“No one can doubt that the Soviet Government is still haunted by the fear of isolation. Neither her immense power nor her victory over Germany has yet effaced this deep impression. “To-day, Russia clings to the principle of the Big Three because she sees in it the only sure guarantee against her isolation. As long as the three Great Powers keep together, she is safe. Once this is understood, Russian policy is more easily explained. “She is opposed to any alliance between the countries of Western Europe because she is convinced that this will become in time an anti-Russian alliance. She is determined that the countries of eastern Europe shall have Governments friendly to her because only in that way can she be sure that

they will not be enticed into such an alliance.” Little News Likely Little news of progress of the Moscow talks is likely to be given until a definite stage has been reached. Censorship has been re-imposed by the Russians so that the veil of secrecy will be as heavy as that which hung over the Potsdam conference. Whether this censorship is a temporary measure to cover the period of the conference or a more general recision of the policy of relaxation introduced last month is not yet clear. It may be a precaution against "leakages.” It is thought that three Foreign Ministers will first discuss those questions which are the immediate cause of mistrust and lack of co-operation which have characterised the relations between Russia and the West since the breakdown of the London conference.

The most troublesome among these problems is the American insistence on retaining full control in Japan, notwithstanding the persistent Russian demand for a Control Commission similar in status and power to those established in the former enemy States in Europe. This disagreement over Japan has seriously aggravated Soviet-American rivalry on the Chinese mainland. In the past the Americans have pointed to the unco-opera-tive attitude of the Russians in north China and Korea and have become more adamant in refusing to accept joint control in Japan. Russian Suspicions "She is suspicious of any proposals to make the United Nations more ‘democratic’ because she fears that she will always be outvoted by the great majority of small (and capitalist)] States in Europe and South America. To say that all these fears are illusory and that neither Britain nor the United States has the least intention of attacking her is not a satisfactory answer. Because the Russian fears are unjustified it does not mean that they are not important or that they can be laughed aside. They are. on the contrary, perhaps important in the world to-day since they are the fears of a giant. "For this reason alone, it may be necessary for Britain and the United States to accept the principle of the Big Three if only in a limited form long after they themselves like to abandon it.”