SOVIET SECRET POLICY IN HUNGARY

Grey River Argus, 27 June 1947, Page 5

SOVIET SECRET POLICY IN HUNGARY

LONDON, June 25

The Foreign Secretary, Mr Bevin, reported to the House of Commons that he profoundly regretted that Moscow’s reply to Britain’s second request for information about Hungary was unsatisfactory, like the first.

Mr Bevin said: “If and when such events occur, information which we have a right to possess is withheld, there is bound to be misunderstanding between the nations. Since in this case the information has been withheld, we are bound to draw our own conclusions.” Mr Bevin added that he was instructing the Ambassador in Moscow Sir Maurice Peterson to inform Mr Molotov that. Britain regretted that Russia had refused to meet legitimate and friendly requests with anything but unsubstantiated denials and counter-accusations. Britain in future would adjust her policy towards Hungary in the light of events.

Reuter’s diplomatic correspondent, quoting usually well-informed news sources', says Mr Bevin when he meets Mr Molotov in Paris will discuss the recent developments in Hungary. Mr Bevin’s statement in the Commons made it clear that he does not regard the matter as closed.

The Smallholder and Freedom Party members in the Hungarian Parliament defeated the Socialists and Communists in a vote on wether a non-party member, Mr Torenyi should be brought before the Privileges Committee. Mr Torenyi in a speech during the debate on the peace treaty, called a Socialist exdeputy a traitor. The vote followed noisy scenes with the deputies shouting and protesting. More loud protests interrupted the Communist reply to the speech by the Freedom Party leader, Mr Sulyok, who said if right of free speech which was guaranteed in the peace treaties was not granted the Opposition could appeal to the Great Powers.

The Communist spokesman, MiMartin Horvath, said: “Mr Sulyok forgets that other paragraph in the peace treaty forbidding Fascist movements ”