POLAND’S FUTURE

Grey River Argus, 16 February 1945, Page 5

POLAND’S FUTURE

BIG THREE DECISION 1 Rejected by London Government • LONDON, February 14. The Polish Government in London has announced its refusal to recognise the decisions of the Crimea conference, and has declared that they cannot bind the Polish nation. A special communique issued by the London Government says; “Before the conference began the Polish Government handed the Governments of Britain and America a memorandum in which the hope was expressed that these , Governments would not be a party to any decisions regarding the Allied Polish State without previous consultation and without the consent of the Polish Government. At the same time the Polish Government declared itself willing to seek a solution of the dispute initiated by Soviet Russia through normal international procedure, and with due respect to the rights of the two parties concerned. “In spite of this, the decisions of the Three-Power conference were prepared and taken, not only without the participation and authorisation of the Polish Government, but without its knowledge. The method adopted regarding Poland is a contradiction of the elementary principle binding the Allies, and it constitutes a violation of the letter and spirit of the Atlantic Charter and the right of nation to defend its own interests.

"The Polish Government declares that the decisions of the ThreePower conference concerning Poland cannot be recognised by the Polish Government, and that they cannot bind the Polish nation. The Polish Government will consider the severance of the eastern half of the territory of Poland and the imposition of a' Polish-Soviet frontier along the socalled Curzon Line as the fifth partition of Poland, now accomplished by her Allies. “The intention of the three Powers to create ‘a Provisional Polish Government of National Unity’, by enlarging the foreign-appointed Lublin Committee with persons who are vaguely described as ‘democratic leaders from Poland itself and Pules abroad’, can only legalise Soviet mterference in Polish internal affans. As long as the territories of Poland remain under the sole occupation of Soviet troops, a Government of that kind will not safeguard for the Polish nation, even in the presence of British and American diplomats, the unfettered right of free expression. “The Polish Government, which is the legal and generally-recognised Government of Poland, and »vhich for five years and a-half has directed the struggle of the Polish State and nation against the Axis countries, through the underground movement in th e homeland and through tne Polish armies and forces m all theatres of war, has expressed its readiness in a memorandum presented to the Governments of Britain and America, to co-operate in the creation of a Government in Poland which will be truly representative of the will of the Polish people The Polish Government maintains its offer.”

THE POLISH FORCES. The Polish Information Ministry has issued a statement to the Polish Forces. It says: “In view of tne heavy blows suffered by the Polish cause, and, realising the anxiety and disquiet which must now fill the Polish Forces, the Polish Government calls on the Polish Forces to continue to carry out their duty and bi’otherhood in arms with Britisn, Canadian, American and Frencn forces. r’unsh soldiers must maintain the esteem and the friendship for Poland winch have grown up among the free peoples of the West during the service which Polish armed forces have given”