Eastern Frontiers

Northern Advocate, 29 November 1947, Page 7

Eastern Frontiers

The dispute about Germany’s former eastern territories which are now governed as part of Poland cropped up again yesterday.

M. Molotov said that so far as he was concerned Germany’s eastern frontier had been settled at Potsdam and the territories now belonged to Poland. Messrs Bevin and Marshall both refused to agree that there had been any final settlement.

M. Bidault, who said he was'naturally more concerned with the west, pointed out that transfers of population had already taken place in the eastern areas on such a huge scale that it was difficult to imagine how the situation could be changed. M. Molotov said that, as they must quickly have a peace treaty with Germany, as with Japan, they must without delay form a German democratic Government for the whole of Germany.

They must also arrange for a peace conference, but the first essential was the recognition of a German Government in time for it to express its views on the treaty.

Mr Marshall said he agreed in principle that a German Government should be formed and that it should sign the treaty, but he thought it too early to say whether a German Government could present its views at the peace conference.

Mr Bevin said Britain desired that a central German Government should be established at the earliest possible opportunity, but he asked how it was to be elected and whqt powers it was to. have.

Unless these points were very clearly defined they might find themselves with a puppet German Government instead of a real, democratic, independent one.