PEACE PROJECT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21448, 23 March 1933, Page 9

PEACE PROJECT

ITALIAN DRAFT

FRANCE HEARS DETAILS

NO SPEEDY ACCEPTANCE

AMENDMENTS SUGGESTED

GERMAN ARMS PROBLEM

By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright

(Received March 22. 8.5 p.m.) LONDON, March 21

Following upon conversations in Paris between Mr. Mac Donald and Sir John Simon and MM. Daladier and Boncour a statement was issued saying:— The British Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary stopped in Paris on their way from Rome in order to acquaint the French Prime Minister and Foreign Minister with the nature of their conversations with Signer Mussolini. The French Ministers thanked their colleagues for the information they furnished, which will enable them to proceed to a closer study of the proposals put before them. They will communicate further wilh each other without delay. Tho French Ministers affirmed their desire to see established in the interests of peace, within the framework and in the spirit of the League of Nations, a loyal co-operation between tho four European Powers who are permanent members of the Council of the League. Mr. Mac Donald and Sir John Simon will return to London to-morrow. On Thursday the Prime Minister will make a statement in the House of Commons. French Prime Minister's Reservations The meagre details of the FrancoBritish conversations in Paris make it difficult to deduce reliable conclusions. There is no reason to suppose that the i conversations were anything but cordial. However, it is certain that France did not leap to acceptance of the four-Power pact proposed bv Signor Mussolini. Tho French correspondent of the Daily Telegraph says he takes the responsibility of saying that M. Daladier refrained from expressing approval of Signor Mussolini's draft plan, reserved tho right to submit amendments, and outlined two amendments. Ono was that the pact be governed by tho Covenant of the League and the Hague, and the other related to equal rights for Germany, from which M. Daladier excluded Germany's rearmament. Finally, tho correspondent says ho gathers that Signor Mussolini has not shown beyond all doubt his readiness to come to an understanding with France. Here, possibly, lies tho real explanation of the coolness with which the whole of France has received his project. Tho significance of the reference to the Covenant of the League lies in France's insistence that the smaller Powers shall not be deprived of the guarantees conferred by it whenever their vital interests are at stake. Signor Mussolini's Four Points Paris newspapers state that the principal points in Signor Mussolini's peace plan are:— (1) Ten years' co-operation in Europe in the spirit of tho Briand-Kellogg Pact extending to the colonies. (2) A revision of the peace treaties in accordance with the Covenant of the League. (3) That Britain, France and Italy recognise Germany's equality and immediately give effect to it.

(4) That Germany shall be enabled to reorganise her military forces to equality with the rest of Europe, this principle also to apply to Austria, Hungary and Bulgaria. A message from Rome states that Signor Mussolini explained his conversations with T*lr. Mac Donald and Sir John Simon to his Cabinet, and the Ministers enthusiastically approved them.