RHINE ZONE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22345, 17 February 1936, Page 9

RHINE ZONE

GERMAN PUNS > r REMILITARISATION MOVE NEIGHBOUES UNEASY FBANCE AND BELGIUM TWO LEADE3S CONFER By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received February 16. 5.5 p.m.) LONDON. Feb. 15 A message from Paris states that the French Foreign Minister, M. Flandirl, and the Belgian Prime Minister, Dr. Van. Zeeland, had an important conference regarding FrancoBelginn co-operation in view of Germany's possible remilitarisation of Ihe Rhineland zone. There is great uneasiness in Belgium in this connection, owing to Germany's reported preparations in the vicinity of the zone and even inside it. M. Flandin is understood to have declared that if Germany moved regular j troops into the zone France would regard it as a hostile act, and immediately protest to the League of Nations. According to the Daily Mail's Paris correspondent, M. Flandin also intimated that France shortly would ask both Britain and Italy what immediate steps they were prepared to take in such an emergency to support the French protest, which would be based on the treaties of Versailles and Locarno. , Dr. Van Zeeland declared that Belgium was determined to stand by France if Germany attempted any violation of the zone. In an address to the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Senate, M. Flandin emphasised that the Franco-Soviet pact was open for Germany to join at any time. "Germany, therefore, cannot say it is aimed against her," he remarked.