SOVIET NEUTRALITY

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 209, 2 August 1940, Page 7

SOVIET NEUTRALITY

BOLDLY REAFFIRMED. LINK WITH GERMANY. (United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) Received August 2, 9.45 a.m. . MOSCOW, Aug. 1. Tie Eoreigm Minister (M. Molotov), addressing the Supreme Council, strongly reaffirmed Soviet neutrality and declared that Russia would not participate in the war.

M. Molotov added that the RussianGerman Pact was still operating, and all British efforts to weaken it had Jailed. Anglo-Russian relations had not materially changed in recent weeks. The ltusso-German Pact was not only economically significant, he added, bat also assured German security in the East. Recent events had improved Russian-German relations. Britain was relying on the assistance of the United States in continuing the war against Germanv.

After the British anti-Soyiet tendencies there could be little chance of improving Anglo-Itussian relations, but the appointment as Ambassador at Moscow of Sir Stafford Cripps possibly reflected the British desire to improve Anglo-Russian understanding. Russian and Italian relations were full of possibilities. v AYORLD RELATIONS SURVEYED. “Britain does not wish to give up her colonies and declares she will continue the war for world supremacy, despite the fact that the defeat of France and Italy’s entry into the war involve considerably greater difficulties for Britain,” said M. Molotov. Future Russian-Einnish relations depended on Finland. M. Molotov warned certain circles in -Finland to discontinue their attacks against those supporting friendly Russian-Finnish relations. Russian and Turkish relations had not changed substantially, but the German AA’hite Book had indicated that Turkey was engaged in anti-Soviet action. “I cannot say any tiling good on Rus-sian-American relations,” he continued. “The Imperialist conflict may spread the war to the AVestern Hemisphere, and the question of the redistribution of colonies may turn the war into a world conflagration. The end of the war is not in sight, but probably it is the eve of a more intensive phase. “Russian-Rumauian relations henceforth should follow a perfectly normal course. Russia is expecting to sign a trade agreement with Sweden. “Russia’s relations with the free Chinese republics are of the best. Ail improvement in relations with Japan is possible, but the new Japanese Government’s foreign policy is not very clear. The incorporation of Esthonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Bessarabia and Northern Bukovina has increased the Russian population by ten million.”