ARMS PROBLEMS

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIV, Issue 79, 15 March 1934, Page 9

ARMS PROBLEMS

BRITISH PLAN OPPOSED I e France Looks to Moscow POSSIBLE RUSSIAN ALLIANCE By Telegraph—Press Assn. —Copyright LONDON, March 4, There is a growing impression mat tbe French, reply to the British Disarmament Memorandum will be momentous. The French cabinet again discussed the matter. It is realised that the reply as drafted is likely to end the disarmament discussions in their present form, therefore a iourth Cabinet meeting is being held before the terms are finally settled. The “Morning Post's” Paris correspondent says: “The reply will defin. itely reject the British proposals. France has not only halted, but almost certainly reversed, the policy of gradual disarmament. Moreover, since . Great Britain seems not in the mood to eo-operate closely in foreign policy France is looking to Rome and Moscow. The latter is reckoned here as a definite supporter of the status quo in Europe. She is thought to have strengthened her military position in eastern Siberia sufficiently to spare energy for European affairs.” This confirms the “Daily Telegraph’s” diplomatic correspondent, who gathers that the Soviet Government, feeing itself less threatened by Japan in the Far East, aspires again to an active diplomatic role in Europe. “M. Litvinoff,” says the “Daily Telegraph,” “is preparing to launch a new security plan involving a general pact of mutual assistance as well as non-aggression, to which all Powers will be invited to subscribe. Moscow expects Tokio’s rejection and would use this to expose Japanese aggressiveness, while France’s adhesion would facilitate a Franco-Russian alliance against Nazi Germany, which is one of < the Soviet’s present aims.”