No Vital Change In Soviet Policy Expected: Gromyko Joins Vyshinsky

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 22888, 7 March 1949, Page 5

No Vital Change In Soviet Policy Expected: Gromyko Joins Vyshinsky

(N.Z.P.A. — Reuter —Copyright.) (10 a.m.) LONDON, March 6. Sir Maurice Peterson, British Ambassador in Moscow, has sent a report to the Foreign Office on Mr. Molotov’s release as Soviet Foreign Minister. Reuter says that the Foreign Secretary, Mr. Ernest Bevin, and senior Foreign Office officials studied the report, but no authoritative comment is yet available on the contents.

The Associated Press correspondent in Moscow says that the placing of Mr. Andrei Gromyko in No. 2 post in the Russian Foreign Ministry is viewed as a further indication that no sweeping change is contemplated in Soviet policy.

Mr. Gromyko has been the outstanding spokesman since 1943 for Mr. Molotov’s policies.

An earlier report stated that the Soviet Council of Ministers appointed Mr. Gromyko, first Deputy Minister of ' Foreign Affairs, says the Tass news agency. Mr. Gromyko thus fills the post vacated by Mr. Vyshinsky who has relieved Mr. Molotov of the post of Foreign Minister. Mr Vyshinsky, woh is 66, returned two day* ago to Moscow after spending come weeks in the Czechoslovakian spa of Carlovy-Vary (Carlsbad). Dur. ing his stay there there were reports that he was suffering from a nervous breakdown. Sack or Promotion? Diplomats in every Western capital are asking whether it is the sack or promotion for Mr. Molotov. In Whitehall, the balance of opinion is that Mr. Molotov has been promoted. Mr. Molotov may continue at Mr. Stalin’s right hand with Mr. Vyshinsky, the vituperative orator mouthpiece through which Mr. Stalin and Mr. Molotov will speak to the world. The British reaction to the news of the Kremlin reshuffle, as reflected in •the late editions of the London morning papers, was almost unanimous only in the belief that this implied a change of policy. The news itself was splashed across the front pages. Divided opinion, speculation and perplexity were characteristics of the comment. The Daily Telegraph’s diplomatic correspondent says it is significant that Mr. Vyshinsky is a much more violent and bitter advocate of communism than Mr. Molotov, whose chief quality in negotiation was relentless and inexhaustible stubbornness. His replacement may indicate grave dissension within the Kremlin. Its consequences in Russia and the world may be incalculable. Most “European" in Outlook The Daily Telegraph says the reasons for Mr. Mikoyan’s removal from the post of Minister of Foreign Trade and his replacement by Mr. A. Menshikov is easier to surmise. He was, perhaps, the most “European” in outlook of all the Russian leaders and had contacts with the outside world from his trade talks. It is possible that his failure in the trade talks with Britain and the increasing tendency of the Soviet-dominated satellite countries to seek financial and economic help from • the West have led to his replacement. Reuter’s diplomatic correspondent says that one possible advantage of Mr. Vyshinsky’s appointment is that he so far has not been personally involved in the negotiations over Berlin. Some officials who attended the last session of the United Nations in Paris believed that Mr. Vyshinsky favoured a settlement of the Berlin crisis. If, as a result of the resolute attitude of the Western Powers, Moscow has decided to come to a temporary settlement over Berlin it might be more easy • for Mr. Vyshinsky to handle the negotiations. Stalin May Ge* “Tougher" The Daily Herald’s diplomatic correspondent says that a change of men certainly means a change of policy. Either Mr. Stalin has suddenly decided that, after all, it would be better to come to terms with the Western Powers and that Mr. Molotov is an obstacle to this or it means that against Mr. Molotov’s advice, he had decided to get “tougher” with the West. Of the two, ! the second is more likely. There may well be a personal element in the whole affair. It has been taken for granted that if anything happened to Mr. Stalin. Mr. Molotov would succeed him, but there are other aspirants who are jealous of Mr. Molotov and a "palace intrigue’’ against him is probable and Mr. Stalin, who is jealous of his subordinates, may well have been in a mood to listen to suggestions that Mr. Molotov was getting too popular, too powerful and too ambi-,-tious.

Birlingske Tidende commented: “Perhaps, Mr. Molotov has been moved one step nearer to the throne of the Red Czar.’’

The Daily Mail’s correspondent in Stockholm says that observers in Scandinavia are divided about the reasons .for the changes, but many believe that the Kremlin’s policy towards the West will sharpen and become openly more aggressive.

Reuter’s correspondent in Paris says the news of Mr. Molotov’s replacement produced an atmosphere of tense expectation in French Government circles.

Reuter’s correspondent in Frankfurt says the news of the Soviet changes came as a bombshell to the first Allied officials in Frankfurt who heard it.

“This is the first change in the direction of Soviet foreign policy since Mr. Litvinov’s fall in the spring of 1939,” one observer said. Another said that Mr. Molotov’s "elimination” seemed to mark an intensification of the struggle for the eventual succession to Mr. Stalin. Reuter’s correspondent in Copenhagen says the Conservative newspaper

“The vital turning point has been reached in international affairs,” one high official said.

Intensifying Nerve War

Opinion was divided on the possible reasons for the change, but the majority of responsible persons expected an attempt by the Soviet to reach a modus vivendi with the West-

The moderate newspaper Figaro commented: “This looks like a spectacular move to intensify the war of nerves.” The paper said it saw no real difference between Mr. Molotov and Mr. Vyshinsky and thought that as fa’r as the west was concerned, the change was "largely bluff.” The Associated Press correspondent in Moscow says the Moscow newspapers published the news without comment.

Reuter’s correspondent in Moscow says that qualified diplomatic observers described it as “most unreasonable” to assume that the transfers of the Soviet Foreign Minister, Mr. Molotov and the Trade Minister, Mr. Mikoyan, to other positions were likely to cause any change in Soviet policies. It emphasised that Mr. Molotov and Mr. Mikoyan are replaced by their closest assistants.

The Associated Press correspondent in Moscow says responsible United States Embassy officials do not believe that Mr. Molotov's and Mr. Mikoyan’s great authority in the Soviet Government have been in any way lessened. It is emphasised that both retain their positions as vice-premiers. The possibility of a split in the Poiitbfircau is discounted.

Uncompromising Changes

Agency correspondents in Berlin point to two uncompromising Soviet accusations made yesterday which do not indicate a change in the Soviet attitude: 1. Colonel Argurov head of the Soviet Repatriation Mission, accused the United States authorities of “gelling rid’ ’of the Soviet mission because the mission knew about the “most inhuman methods” which the West-

ern representatives used to prevent Soviet citizens returning to Russia. 2. The Soviet Military Governor, Marshall Sokolovsky, in a letter to the United States Military Governor, General Clay, accused the United States authorities of sabotaging the Soviet Restitution Commission’s activities by not allowing the Soviet mission to visit factories, archives, museums and art galleries to declare Soviet properties there which had been looted by Hitler’s army.