EASTERN EUROPE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIX, Issue 161, 9 June 1939, Page 7

EASTERN EUROPE

BRITAIN’S, GUARANTEES. MINISTER’S EE VIEW. CONTI DENCE ME AS URES. (United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph —Copyright.) (British OHiciul Wireless.) Received June 9, 10.55 a.m. RUGBY, June 8. Speaking in (lie House of Lords debate to-day Lord Halifax (Foreign Secretary) reviewed the position regarding (lie guarantees given to Eastern Europe by Britain as a measure to restore confidence by providing for effective resistance to aggresrson, the use of force or threat of force.

Referring first to Poland, Lord Halifax said, that the reciprocal declarations had l>cen made pending the conclusion of a permanent agreement between the two Governments. It was Ids hope that this permanent agreement would shortly be concluded. The assurances to Rumania and Greece were unilateral in form and did not require any further definition. As regards Turkey, the first stage in the negotiations was brought to a successful issue just a month ago. Further consultations, for which that declaration provided, were being actively pursued and he hoped before long to he able to announce they had been successfully completed. The attitude ol friendly co-operation by Turkey adopted during these discussions had been a source of the greatest satisfaction to Britain and gave a good augury for the consolidation of peace in the -Mediterranean and South-Eastern Europe. RELATIONS WITH SOVIET. Continuing. Lord Halifax said : ‘‘As to our association with the Soviet, I had the advantage of a personal discussion with the French .Ministers in Paris and Geneva, and the continuance of my conversations with the Russian Amhasadors (Al. .Maisky) in London. As a result of those discussions the Anglo-Ereiuh proposals were made to the Soviet which, in our view, met all the essential points on which there Imd been difficulty, hut there remained one or two difficulties to he solved. “In regard to the position ol the Baltic States, we never attempted, and we would not think it right, _ to thrust assurances upon countries which do not want, them, or take any steps which might compromise, in other quarters, the relations of those countries,” said Lord Halifax. “Our o_nl\ desire is to maintain their neutrality. “At thefsamo time it is to he recognised, from the point of view of her own security, the Soviet cannot be disinterested i’n the independence of her neighbours. I hope we may be .able to find the means by which that difficulty, and any others which may arise, will he solved.” Ah- William Strang, of the f'oreign Office, who has been appointed to proceed to Moscow and there confer with the British Ambassador (Sir William Seeds) on outstanding points in the Anglo-Soviet discussions, returned to London to-day by air from Warsaw where he has been on holiday. It is probably that he will leave for Moscow by air on Saturday.