RUSSO-GERMAN NEGOTIATIONS.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXVII, Issue LXXVII, 2 January 1918, Page 5

RUSSO-GERMAN NEGOTIATIONS.

-I /-FURTHER DETAILS OF '"*V . ,/ PROPOSALS. -AGREEMENT REACHED REGARD-! KG COMMERCIAL INTERCOURSE. COMMUNICATION EXPECTED BY ALLIES. '. TO BE FORMALLY ANSWERED IF RECEIVED.

-:;,.. Reutor Service. AMSTERDAM, Dec. 30. ,* ,An official ,telegram. from Brest , Xitovsk, via Berlin, states That a complete agreement 'has been reached regarding the re-starting of commercial

.intercourse. A substantial agreement . lias .been reached-'regarding the per(t,v_ manent basis of Russo-German econo- ' -mio relations. Regarding I.he occupied territories,. Russia proposed that the -Russian troops should be withdrawn from Austria-Hungary, Turkey, and Persia, •while the Central Powers • should withdraw troops from. Poland, Lithuania, Courland and other regions. 'The Russian populationsi in these dis'■tricts should be given the earliest opportunity of deciding freely and en- ' tirely the question of their union with ' one or the other Empire or their for- ', nuation into independent States. ; 1 • Official: Germany then proposed the -'first two ■articles of the preliminary ■" treaty, providing, firstly, that Russia and Germany declare the state of war onded and .resolve to live together in future in peace and friendship, on oonP' dition of complete reciprocity. ,# With her allies Germany ia' '' ready, i as soon as" peace is oonchxded with' Russia and the Russian armies are de-" mobilised, to evacuate the present por, \ eitions and the occupied Russian territory, sso far as no different inference may result from article two.

Secondly, after the Russian Govern- ■ ment has proclaimed for all'peoples in • Russia the right of self-determination, including complete .separation, she shall flake cognisance of the deoisiona , expressing the will of the people demanding full State-independence, and separation from Russia for Poland, Lithuania, Courland, portions of Esthonia and1 Livonia. As in these districts to which the foregoing stipulations shall apply the case of evacuation is nob such as provided in article one; a special commission shall az-range for the ratification by plebiscite, on broad lines and with- . out any military pressure whatever, of the existing separation proclamations. The Russian delegation then insisted on *a definite assurance that the plebiscite should be free and that foreign troops, be completely absent, but agreed to the appointment of a special com- - mission to arrange a plebiscite and fix • ike time of evacuation. The Russian delegates anticipate a epeedy end of the war. The delegates departed homewards. Negotiations will be resumed on-Janu-ary 4.

LONDON, Dec. 31

A German wireless message from > Brast Litovsk gives further details of , the agreement reached between. Russia, and the Central Powers. It. states that the arrangements were conducted in a conciliatory spirit, with a view to a mutual understanding and agreement being reached to restore the

treaty conditions which, were inter- . THpted, by the war. With, respect to all rights of intercourse, all special war legislation shall be repealed, and persons adversely affected shall be restored to their,, former rights or indemnified. Details; regarding war damages are. left for later determination, but arrangements were made for mr demnifying civilians outside the war districts and the reciprocal return of merchant vessels.

Austria-Hungary has signified her agreement with the first two articles of the peace treaty as proposed by .Germany.

The Daily. Telegraph's Milan correspondent gives fhe'full text of Russia's demands. It shows they were much more detailed than hitherto reported.

The ' demands, consist of fifteen clauses, and include -the evacuation of all .Russian territory, and' autonomy for Poland, Lithuania and the Lettish. provinces; autonomy for Armenia; the .restoration of Serbia and Montenegro, Serbia, having access to the Adriatic, ■while Bosnia and Herzegovina shall iav© ooinplete autonomy. Other contested territory in the Bal-

kans to enjoy temporary autonomy unj;il a plebiscite is taken.

i Roumania. to recover all territory, { after promising autonomy to the Dobrudja. Autonomy for Trent and Trieste until a plebiscite is taken. ' „ Germany to receive back herooloniesj The restoration, of Persia and, Greece. The neutralisation of' maritimej straits, including'the Suez and Panama canals.

Torpedoing of commercial ships on the high seas is to be forbidden. All belligerents to renounce war indemnities and commercial boycotts. Peace conditions to be settled publicly by delegates chosen by the various parliaments. .Lastly, gradual disarmament on land and sea, and the establishment of militia to replace standing armies. WASHINGTON, Dec. 30. It is generally expected the Allies will receive a Note from Trotsky containing Count Czerin's proposal- It is believed that the Allies will, formally answer the Note, thus robbing Germany of the moral advantage she hoped to gain by the peace offer. ; WASHINGTON, Dec. 31. « The State Department has indicated its intention to answer the German misrepresentations in the peace1 terms. It is believed the United States will reply with the Allies.