PEACE OF EUROPE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22046, 28 February 1935, Page 11

PEACE OF EUROPE

BRITAIN AS MEDIATOR MINISTER FOR MOSCOW SOVIET INVITATION REPORTED OTHER EUROPEAN 'CAPITALS By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received February 27, 9.5 p.m.) LONDON, Feb. 26 The diplomatic correspondent of the Daily Telegraph says the Soviet has issued a formal invitation for a British Minister to visit Moscow to discuss the Anglo-French plan. There is no doubt the Cabinet will agree. The Polish and C'zecho-Slovakian Governments are expected to suggest similar visits to their capitals. The Daily Herald says Sir John Simon, Foreign Secretary, and Mr. Anthony Eden, Lord Privy Seal, are likely to divide the work, Sir John Simon going to Moscow and Mr. Eden to Warsaw and Prague, where he will meet the Little Entente as a diplomatic unit. * MISSION TO BERLIN SIR JOHN SIMON'S TOUR "VISITS EASILY JUSTIFIED" British Wireless RUGBY, Feb. 26 Whether the Foreign Secretary, Sir John Simon, will undertake his European mission alone or be accompanied by the Lord Privy Seal, Mr. Anthony Eden, has not yet been decided. Much may depend upon whether the visit to Berlin is to be followed by a visit to Moscow, a question which is still under consideration. The Times says it considers, however, that it may be regarded as practically certain that Sir John Simon will eventually visit Moscow and probably Warsaw and Prague as well, on his return journey. It states that " such a comprehensive series of visits is easily justified at an exceptional moment in European history when British influence stands high, and when that influence may possibly be decisively exercised in uniting all countries behind the plan outlined in the Franco-British communique." The Morning Post observes that the problem of security in Eastern Europe, which is at present endangered by suspicion between Germany and Russia, is of supreme importance to the Western Powers, and, therefore, is brought within the order of a general European settlement envisaged by the FrancoBritish communique. „ The newspaper adds: " Britain, by virtue of its acknowledged detachment, is peculiarly fitted to dispatch a statesman in the role of mediator between Berlin and Moscow." WELCOME IN GERMANY IMPROVING RELATIONS SERVING WORLD CONCORD BERLIN', Feb. 26 Newspapers generally welcome Sir John Simon's pending visit. The journal Borsen Zeitung says it will not only help to improve relations between Britain and Germany, but will serve world peace.