The Grey River Argus THURSDAY, September 20, 1945. NEW PROSPECTS IN THE MEDITERRANEAN.

Grey River Argus, 20 September 1945, Page 4

The Grey River Argus THURSDAY, September 20, 1945. NEW PROSPECTS IN THE MEDITERRANEAN.

The anticipated Potsdam job of redrawing the European. map was relegated to the present diplomatic parley of the Big Five at London, where it seems mainly to be that of the Big Three. Its only public prelude was the remark of the American delegate that a treaty for Italy would be the main task, which probably would be carried out witii. an eye to the Balkans. The official statements since have been cpiite colourless, but are obviously so because the deliberations are quite the contrary. The press reports, especially those of the Americans, which have not been cabled to any extent, have made it obvious that the issues raised actually are momentous, and that, instead of Italy and Yugoslavia figuring greatest, the interests of the So-

viet, and therefore of Britain, and in a degree, of America as well, arc those which have come uppermost. Mr Molotov has publicly acknowledged that the Soviet aspires to a new sphere of influence, extending from the eastern to the western margins of the Mediterranean, and is a candidate to become the trustee power over the former Italian colony of Tripolitania in North Africa, and, further, that the Soviet is also interested in obtaining influence in Eritrea, North-Eastern Africa, on the western side of the traditional British 'artery of sea communication with India and the Pacific. The Anglo-American press further reports that, in the vicinity of Greece, the Soviet wishes to obtain the Dodecanese Islands from Italy, on the ground that they are in the Dardanelles area, where it is desired that Russian entry to the Mediterranean shall be further secured. The' Soviet earlier was unable to induce Turkey to negotiate regarding Salonika and the Dardanelles territory, but the Big Five talks point to a policy of persisting with this objective. Mr Molotov, after alluding to Soviet support for the claims of Yugoslavia for territory formerly held by Italy along the Adriatic, especially Trieste and the district of Venezia Giulia.- claimed that in Roumania, Bulgaria and Hungary, now within the Russian sphere of influence, there had since the Avar been set up governments of a democratic character representing a majority of the people, and he added that now Greece was in need of a natural democratic government. From this statement it is manifest that the Soviet since the Avar has very greatly enlarged its interest beyond the Russian borders, extending the sphere not only in the Far East towards Port Arthur, Dairen and Korea, but AvestAvards and southAvards toAvards the Atlantic and the Levant. The principle of trusteeship, collectively applied, is Mr Molotov’s explanation, and even though its application might bring a. new Great Power into juxtaposition Avith British and other European spheres, the fact that it has become the main topic at the Big Five talks indicates that Britain and America must admit the feasibility of the proposal. One estimate is that the conference is cold on the surface, but Avith implications underneath the surface of a dynamic or volcanic character. The introduction of Soviet control over territories far beyond those of Russia would at least go to familiarise the Soviet Avith international affairs in l a greater degree than Russians have experienced yet, and thus assist the Big Three in their task of maintaining peace throughout the Avorld. In the ultimate result this might prove to be the view of Britain. It is quite consistent Avith the hpav European status, wherein the Soviet has so extensively replaced the Reich in influence. The immediate political and diplomatic

results of the war and of the Big Three decisions during the war are now beginning to take shape. It is, for instance, too late for a complaint about power politics in the sense that, if the Soviet were conceded a sphere in Eastern Europe and Eastern Asia, it ought to concede to the others of the Big Three a sway elsewhere. As Mr Molotov remarks, the collective trusteeship principle is one of general application. It may be assumed that in its new orientation the Soviet would intend to adapt its policy so as to be in line with the democratic methods which the United Nations organisation has proposed. Moreover, it also may be assumed , that in publicly avowing the intention of extending Russian influence through the Mediterranean Mr Molotov has done so in the belief that the Big Five regard it as quite 'consistent with the objects of the United Nations organisation.