U.S. SECRET PLEDGE TO RUSSIA

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 21934, 31 January 1946, Page 6

U.S. SECRET PLEDGE TO RUSSIA

CLAIMS TO KURILE ISLES SUPPORTED

CLAUSE IB! YALTA MCI REVEALED

WASHINGTON, Jan. 29. The Secretary of State, Mr. James Byrnes, stated that at the Yalta Conference, a secret agreement for the United States. to support Russia’s claims to the Kurile Islands, was reached with the full knowledge of American military leaders, but he.personally did not know of it until a few days after the Japanese surrender.

Mr. Byrnes explained that an agreement was reached on the last day of the Yalta conference after his departure. Asked why the document on the Kuriles had not yet been published, Mr. Byrnes said he saw no reason why it should be published now. He said that President Roosevelt regarded it as a high military secret. Mr Byrnes explained that Russia, at the Yalta Conference agreed eventually to enter the Pacific war, but

said it would take much time to move troops from the western to the eastern front. . , Russia, under the agreement was to receive southern Sakhalin and the Kuriles, lapping Russia’s eastern shores and from which the Japanese launched their assault on the Aleutians early in the war. Mr. Byrnes said he understood the agreement also covered the post-war status of Port Arthur and Darien which had already been formalised m the Chinese-Russian treaty. The Associated Press points out that the cession of any territory such as southern Sakhalin and the Kuriles 1 must only be formalised in the treaty.