THE AERIAL PROPOSAL.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 65, 13 February 1935, Page 7

THE AERIAL PROPOSAL.

GERMANY WILL NEGOTIATE. ITALIANS FAVOUR SCHEME. LONDON. Feb. 12. The Daily Mail’s Berlin correspondent says it is expected that Germany’s reply to the aerial Locarno proposal will be communicated to France and Britain on Thursday, It is understood that she accepts the plan as a basis of negotiation with reservations that Germany’s right to such army, navy, and air force as she considers necessary to security shall be recognised and not subjected to bargaining or an attempt to barter German equality against others’ security. Also Germany is not committing herself to a definite programme, hut merely participating as an equal partner in negotiations. The News-Chronicle’s Berlin correspondent says that Germany’s decision, which is expected to lead to discussions prefacing a conference, is regarded as a success for the moderates, including the Foreign Office and the Reicliswehr, over the Nazi extremists. Correspondents of British newspapers in Berlin report that Sir John Simon’s speech at the British Chamber of Commerce in Paris, in which he emphasised that the Anglo-French proposals were put forward as “a basis for tree and equal negotiation between all concerned,” lias been the subject of favourable comment in Berlin, a British official wireless message states. The attitude of the Italian Government toward the proposals was indicated in a statement issued at Rome which declared that “Italian circles look with favour on the filial declaration upon the conversations as a whole, and they consider that it contains the possibility of ail understanding with Germany" and consequently the opening of a period of collaboration between the Powers interested. “In regard more particularly to the aerial pact of mutual assistance, the position of Italy will be established very shortly in a sense of adhesion in principle. " subject to consideration ot the special situation of Italy as regards Great Britain and vice versa. Responsible Italian circles have noted with satisfaction tho standpoint adopted by Great Britain in regard to the independence of Austria and tho FrancoItalian agreements of January 7.”