FRANCE NOT BOUND TO ACT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22240, 15 October 1935, Page 9

FRANCE NOT BOUND TO ACT

NO DISCUSSION WITH BRITAIN M. LAVAL REASSURES HIS COUNTRY By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received October 14, 5.5 p.m.) PARIS. Oct. 13 M. Laval, in an interview, said: "For those afraid of military sanctions imposed against Italy, I wish to state that never has any question of them been raised in my conversations with British Ministers. I want to reassure French opinion. The situation is undoubtedly delicate, but the Franco-British collaboration affirmed at Geneva with great cordiality will continue to be exercised in the interests of peace. "To those who want us to take up the attitude of opposing Britain, I say that Britain will never consider that her action should be individual and develop itself outside the collective framework of the League. Our declarations at the Assembly have always been made in common and our actions will be in common, too.

"Any misapprehension or misunderstanding exhibited by French public opinion will only harm the cause of peace. The maintenance and strengthening of Franco-British friendship is an indispensable condition for success. In order to help my task, I implore all Frenchmen to understand that." The Paris correspondent of the Manchester Guardian says that semi-official newspapers loudly affirm that France is doing her utmost to render even economic sanctions harmless. Le Petit Parisien congratulates France upon her success in delaying Mr. Anthony Eden's proposals for an immediate boycott of Italy on Saturday.