NATURE OF DOCUMENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18089, 13 May 1922, Page 9

NATURE OF DOCUMENT.

BASIS FOR NEGOTIATION.

Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Eccd. 5.30 p.m.) LONDON, May 11.

The correspondent at Genoa of the Australian and New Zealand Press Association states that M. Tchitcherin has handed his reply to the secretary of the conference. On a first reading it cannot bo regarded as an entirely satisfactory document. Nevertheless,. it affords a reasonable basis for further negotiations." Its character is such that a discussion of peace can be undertaken forthwith.

There are two sides to it, the question of economics and the establishment of

peace. It contains lengthy arguments on the subject of private property and Russian economic requirements. It is doubtful whether this can be discussed without necessitating a long delay, but th© Russians are extremely desirous of securing peace, and in the British, view, this side can be gone on with. Although the economic side is the most important for Russia, if the Soviet can stand the inevitable delay in arriving at a solution, it is entirely a matter for them. Th e peace pact will undoubtedly produce a real struggle, because the reply refers to the position of France during the resolution, and the confiscation of property on that occasioa The Eussians draw an otnalogy between their revolution and France's struggle. It is stated, but the statement must be accepted with Borne reserve, that France will refuse to accept the reply in any circumstances and that she does not wish to tee her present dominant position in Europe frittered away by a peace pact. The statement also suggests that her siding with Belgium over the private property question was merely a pretext on which Bhe <:ould maintain resistance to the pact of non-aggression. TTi€i ltaliar: view, it is believed, entirely coincides with that held by the British. Both natiorui are firmly determined to pursue the conference to a successful conclusion.

It will tako a day or two for the various delegations to assimilate the document; probably it will not oome before the sab-commission before Saturday or early next week. The Empire delegation has been summoned to analyse the reply. It consists of about 8000 words, the major portion being taken up with empty polemics, which make negotiations almost impossible. Most of the pages are about as valuable as paper roubles. Toward the end the Russians get to business and, with »me claim to reason, declare that the Allied memorandum asks Russia to take most serious obligations without receiving jny return except vague promises. What the Russians reaily want to know is just what these credits actually amount to, and how they will rehabilitate Russian Industrial life." The most tjatisfactory feature is the earnest desire to enter into a peace pact. Even if the document is not * sound basis of negotiation, it is one which demands a reply.