UNSOLVED PROBLEMS
POTSDAM DISAGREEMENTS. RUSSIA'S EdipAEATIONS. (N.Z. Press Association.—Copyright.) (Rec. 9.30 a.m.) NEW YORK, Aug. 5. In addition to seeking freer access to the Mediterranean, Russia, at the' Potsdam Conference, suggested that she should share in the control of part of Italy's former colonial empire. These were among the questions which were discussed, but not solved, according to the Washington correspondent of the New York Times.
The correspondent says the conference left the following points unsettled : (1) The withdrawal of all foreign troops from Iran, raised by Britain. (2) The Russian delegation is reported to have made it clear that the Soviet desired a revision of the Montreux Convention governing the passage of ships through the Dardanelles. The question probably will be considered later by the Black Sea Powers and the Council of Foreign Ministers. (3) Russia is reported to have proposed that at least part of the Italian colonial empire be placed under trusteeship in such a manner _ that the Soviet and the other principal Allies would have joint authority. (4)) A four-Power conference to settle the Syria-Lebanon issue was favoured by "Russia, but Britain and America, it is reported, opposed it. It is presumed in Washington that Russia wished to have the Dodecanese placed under trusteeship instead of ceded to Greece as was suggested by Britain and America. It is known that there was general agreement among the "Big Three" that Italy should be deprived of her possessions in the Aegean and in Africa, but the future control of these areas was left undecided. BIG RUSSIAN SHARE.
The Potsdam agreement has the effect of giving Russia approximately 50 per cent, of the movable German property according to officials with a knowledge of the preliminary negotiations at Potsdam, says the correspondent. The negotiators had an estimate of how the 'property should be divided between the eastern and western zones which showed that approximately 45 per cent, of the total German capital assets covered by the agreement were in the Russian zone. The high percentage surprised those who considered that the bulk of the German industries were in the west ,but it was pointed out that during the war and the immediate pre-war period the Germans built up their industry in the east where they established some of the nation's largest and most efficient units. In addition to the 45 per cent of the total movable German equipment reported to be situated in the Russian zone, the Soviet is given under the Potsdam agreement 10 per cent, of certain capital equipment in the western zone, making the total Russian gam roughly 50 per cent, of the whole movable equipment. The reparations claims of all the United Nations in the war against Germany except Russia must be satisfied from the remainder of the equipment in the western zone. The bulk of the equipment would be used to satisfy the reparations demands of such countries as France, Holland and Belgium, since it is assumed that the United States desires nope of the equipment and Britain relatively little. Many questions are being asked in London about the precise meaning of the reparation proposals, says _ the diplomatic correspondent of the Times, who adds: "Allied experts assessing the amount of equipment to he removed must, first of all, decide what is German peace economy and what is the average European standard. It seems that German economy and industrial production will be reduced below the 1927-29 level. When the intensive industrial development of Hitler's fouryear plan is recalled and. no less,_ the intensive drive during the war, it is seen that a considerable part of the existing equipment will be removed. "The Soviet authorities are anxious to rebuild their devastated areas without delay and have already moved Gorman factories and equipment from the eastern zone. Gorman industry will not be completely stripped and the Germans will he left with enough to work their way forward in peace." The Berlin newspapers published the full text of the Potsdam communique without comment except the Communist paper Deutsche Volk Zeitung which stated: "The period of reconstruction has begun. The German people must stand the test in peaceful, democratic reconstruction." The Associated Press says that President Truman, at the close of the Potsdam talks, suggested to Marshal Stalin and Mr Attlee that if another "Big Three" conference were held .it should be in AVasbington. Marshai Stalin smiled and responded: "God willing." Commenting on the communique, the pro-Russian Berlin Zeitung, which is the organ of the city's Administration, said: "If we are honest we must admit that we expected to see Germany split into parts under different Administrations without any political freedom. Instead, we find just the opposite. The victors'have not waited for us to ask for the reconstruction of Germany, but they help us towards it."
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Manawatu Standard, Volume LXV, Issue 211, 6 August 1945, Page 5
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796UNSOLVED PROBLEMS Manawatu Standard, Volume LXV, Issue 211, 6 August 1945, Page 5
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