AID FOR EUROPE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22374, 5 July 1947, Page 5

AID FOR EUROPE

POWERS_INVITED CONTINENTAL TALKS BRITISH-FRENCH MOVE LONDON. July 3. Britain and France have decided to invite all European States, with the temporary exception of Spain, to take part in framing a reply to Mr. George Marshall’s proposals for European reconstruction. Mr. Ernest Bevin and M. Bidault announced this today in a joint communique. It is stated that if Europe is to take the initiative in the work of reconstruction a list of its resources and needs must be drawn up as quickly as possible. A temporary organisation must be established to collate data on which the programme would be based.

Britain and France, therefore, had decided to invite all European States, with the temporary exception of Spain, who desire to participate in framing a reply to Mr. Marshall’s suggestion to help establish an organisation whose task will be to draw up a programme of European reconstruction in which the resurces and needs of each country will be co-ordinated according to the country’s own desires. Guarantee of Nations’ Sovereignty This offer to participate in the organisation’s work will be open to all European States. Mr. Bevin arrived back in London today from Paris and the French Foreign Office announced that M. Bidault will visit Britain next week to continue discussions with Mr. Bevin about European action on the Marshall plan. The Foreign Office spokesman disclosed that Britain and France had jointly sent invitations to 22 nations to join the discussions on Mr. Marshall’s plan. A copy of the invitation was sent to M. Alexander Bogomolov, the Russian Ambassador in Paris, with an expression of hope by France that the Russian refusal was not definite and that Russia would co-operate. The invitations propose that the 22 nations and Britain and France should meet in Paris on July 12. Britain and France have advised the United States of the action taken. Reuter’s correspondent in Paris says the invitations to talks went over the signature of M. Bidault to Portugal, Iceland, Eire, Belgium, Holland, Luxemburg, Switzerland, Italy, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Yugoslavia, Albania, Greece, Czechoslovakia, Poland, Hungary, Rumania, Bulgaria, Austria and Turkey. The French Foreign Office spokesman said that the acceptance of the invitations meant the nations concerned would accept, as the basis of the talks, the French plan offered to the Big Three Foreign Ministers on July 1 providing for a steering committee and sub-committees to assess Europe’s economic potential and requirements, and including guarantees of sovereignty. The spokesman said that any nation could offer amendments to the plan. Britain and France would inform the Economic Commission for Europe of the steps being taken. The spokesman, discussing the reference to Spain, said it meant that Spain would be invited to participate if the Government were changed. The spokesman explained that no invitation was sent to separate Russian republics, such as Byelorussia, but they were included in the Note sent to the Russian Ambassador in Paris, !M. Bogomolov. Britain and France regarded Spain as part of Europe, but had decided to follow the present course because of the complexion of the present Spanish Government and the United Nations’ policy of non-co-operation with the Franco regime. Germany’s Resources to be Listed Germany was not included in the invitations, but the commanders of the four zones would be asked to supply information about her requirements and resources. The spokesman said that while the U.N. Economic Commission would be informed, Britain and France saw no need to plunge the commission into a needless debate on the subject. One of the commission’s important members, Russia, was known to oppose the project. The first reports of Europe's needs and her ability to help herself should be ready by September 1. The steering committee would not simply be a post office, handling the declarations from the different countries. It would reserve the right to accept or reject the data furnished, although it would not attempt to exercise any control inside the countries to check the facts supplied. The spokesman said there was no question of the steering committee considering the questions of the Ruhr or reparations. These were the province of the Big Four Foreign Ministers. The Associated Press correspondent in Oslo says that Norwegian official sources declared that Norway’s attitude will be to encourage all practical steps which may lead to the rehabilitation of Europe. It is confidently believed that the economic and political division of Europe is not inevitable. Norway would watch jealously any attempt to drag her into any one economic bloc, but would support Mr. Mar-

shall’s plan if it should develop into a sound international trade agreement. The Associated Press correspondent in Brussels reports that the Prime Minister. M. Spaak, in the Senate said that Mr. Marshall’s plan was the biggest service that could actually be done_ to Europe. He added: “It would be criminal to miss such an occasion to save the world.” Czechs to Reconsider Policy A Prague message says that the Czechoslovakian Cabinet will tomorrow reconsider its attitude to the plan. The Associated Press says that Russia's withdrawal is expected to have a weakening effect on Czechoslovakia’s interest in participating in any coordinated European economy if it did not keep her entirely out of such a programme. The Czechoslovakian economy is too closely linked with Russia and her Slav neighbours to enable her to enter any programme opposed by Russia, except in the direst need. Reuter’s correspondent in Vienna says that the Socialist spokesman declared: “We do not consider the cleavage between East and West has reached such a degree that Austria’s acceptance of tile invitation could be considered as ‘adherence to the Western bloc.’ ” Semi-official circles in Stockholm hinted that Sweden is eager to take part in any plan, particularly as she is now “gravely short of dollars and threatened with inflation.” Another indication of the Swedish attitude is given in the country's biggest newspaper, Dagens Nyhcter, which described as “false and untenable’’ M. Molotov’s statement that the American