MILITARY MISSION

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIX, Issue 206, 1 August 1939, Page 7

MILITARY MISSION

DESPATCH TO MOSCOW.

ANGLO-FRENCH DECISION

PREMIER’S ANNOUNCEMENT

(United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) (British Official Wireless.) Received August 1, 11.15 a.m. RUGBY, July 31.

The early dispatch of a military mission to Moscow was announced in the House of Commons to-day by the Premier (Mr Chamberlain) who, in reply to a question, said: “The Soviet has proposed that at the present state of the negotiations it would be an advantage to begin military conversations forthwith.

“His Majesty’s Government and the French Government have concurred, and arrangements are being made to send British and French military representatives to Moscow as soon as possible,” Air • Chamberlain continued. “It is proposed that, concurrently with the military conversations, the political discussions should continue with the view of reaching final conclusion on the terms of a .political agreement. “The British delegation will lie headed by Admiral Hon. Sir Reginald A. R. Plunkett-Ernle-Erlc-Drax, and will include Air-Alarshall Sir Charles Burnett and Major-General Hcyw.ood.” Tho Alission would possibly start this week, the Premier said. DISAGREEMENT NO SECRET.

Continuing, Mr Chamberlain said: “Of course, there is no secret about the fact that the Soviet, Britain and France combined have not hitherto been able to agree upon a definition satisfactory to all parties of tho term ‘indirect aggression,’ though all three of us realise that indirect aggression may be just as dangerous as direct aggression, and all three of us desire to find a satisfactory method of combining against it. “At the same time, however, we are extremely anxious not even to appear to be desirous of encroaching upon tile independence of other States, and if we have not agreed so far with the Soviet in the definition of indirect aggression it is because the formula which the Soviet favoured appeared to us to carry that precise signification.” Mr Chamberlain then recalled that the Anglo-Japanese Alliance took six months to negotiate; the Anglo-French entente of 1904 took nine months; the Anglo-Russian one of 1907 15 months, and the negotiations which led to the Treaty of Locarno eight months before they arrived at conclusion.

“It would have been possible, perhaps, to have made a provisional agreement at an early date with the Soviet, deferring to a later period the conclusion of a detailed treaty,” Air Chamberlain said. “It is the course which we pursued with Poland and Turkey, and the French Government would have been quite ready to follow that course in this case, but the Soviet thought otherwise.”

‘ALMOST WITHOUT PRECEDENT.’ “The Soviet preferred to sign nothing and to initial nothing until wo got a complete agreement,” Mr Chamberlain added, “and as a result we were not able to present tho world, as I would have liked to do; with even a provisional agreement at an earlier stage. The announcement that I made to-day at question time regarding a military mission to Moscow shows that wo have done something that must, be almost without precedent. <<M. Alolotov, in the course of the conversations, expressed the view that if we once began these military conversations, to which he attached verygreat importance, the political difficulties should not prove insuperable. It is that expression of view which weighed with us in taking this veiy unusual decision, and it certainly is the sincere hope of France and ourselves that these anticipations of AL Alolotov will be' realised, and that we shall find it possible to agree not only in substance, but also in form, upon tlie remaining political differences.” DANZIG SITUATION. Referring to Danzig, Mr Chamberlain said: “The statement which 1 made in clear and unmistakeable terms on July 10 expressed the Government’s determination, and I feel that to add to that statement could do nothing to strengthen it, and I do not wish to do anything to weaken it. . “The local situation in Danzig is one which has been causing a considerable amount of public apprehension, and is obviously ono which requires very artful watching, but some of tlie reports I have seen in the Press undoubtedly have been exaggerated about the extent of the militarisation which has taken place.”

DATE OF DEPARTURE.

ON AUGUST 2, VIA PARIS

Received August 1, 12.45 p.m. LONDON, July 31. The British military mission leaves for Moscow .on August 2 via Paris. The French military mission headed hv General Doumenic includes General Valin (Air Force), Commander Villaume (Navy) and Major Krebs (Army).

SOVIET SUSPICIONS. COMMENT ON DISCUSSIONS. Received August jl, 9.40 a.m. MOSCOW, July 31. The Pravda, commenting on tlio Moscow talks, reveals lingering suspicions regarding Anglo-French intentions. “Several bourgeois countries want to divert the war menace from themselves and direct it toward the Soviet Union,” an article states. According to a Paris message the newspaper Le Figaro says wellinformed circles in London are hopeful that Lord Halifax (British Foreign Minister) will be able on August 3 to announce the conclusion of an AngloSoviet accord.