MOSCOW OBJECTS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 96, 21 March 1940, Page 7

MOSCOW OBJECTS

SCANDINAVIAN PACT. SPEEDY REJOINDER. ‘SOME MISUNDERSTANDING’ (United Press Association—By Electric Te 1 egr a p h—Copyright.) Received Hard) 21, i(J.2O a.m. MOSCOW, March 20. The radio announces that the conclusion of a defensive alliance among Finland, Sweden and Norway would he directly incompatible with the Russian-Finnisb Treaty. Norway’s politics are directed against the Soviet. A Stockholm message says that the Swedish Foreign Minister (M. Guenther) said : “The Moscow statement is founded on a misconception. The envisaged Scandinavian pact would be purely defensive.” At Helsinki the Foreign Minister (M. Tanner) said: “There must be some misunderstanding. The object of the proposed alliance is solely connected with the neutrality of the countries concerned. Russia lias no reason to regard the alliance in the manner the radio indicated.” At Oslo the Foreign Minister (Professor Koht) said : “Moscow is wrong in believing the Scandinavian negotiations have begun,” RESTRICTING THE WAR. 'THREE POWER AGREEMENT. ITALIAN MINISTER’S HINT. NEW YORK. March 20. The Rome correspondent of the New York Times says that the Italian Foreign Secretary (Count Ciano) undoubtedly told the American representative (Mr Welles) that an important understanding among Italy. Germany and Russia 1 could he expected within a fortnight recording a decision that the war must he localised and not spread to the Balkans and Mediterranean.