LOCARNO POWERS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22475, 20 July 1936, Page 9

LOCARNO POWERS

MEETING IN LONDON THREE TO ATTEND PROPOSED EXTENSION ROME AND BERLIN WANTED Hy Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received July 10, 5.5 p.m.) PARIS, July 18 The French Foreign Minister, M. Delbos, stated to-day that the Locarno talks between Britain, France and Belgium will open in London on July 22. The three Prime Ministers and Foreign Ministers will attend. It is believed that if a five-Power conference (taking in Italy and Germany) is then arranged, France may try also to include Bussia and the Little Entente to attend at Brussels in September. RUMANIA'S STAND SOVIET TROOPS' PASSAGE OTHER POWERS' INTERESTS BUCHAREST, July 17 M. Titulescu, in an interview to-day, stated that it had not been agreed to allow Soviet troops passage through Rumania. The question was not even discussed. While the country's foreign policy was based on friendship with France and Russia, there was no reason why Rumania should not also be friendly with Italy and Germany. BRITAIN'S POLICY PREVENTION OF BLOCS SETTLEMENT IN EUROPE (Received July 10, 5.5 p.m.) Rritlsh Wireless RUGBY, July 18 A decision as to whether the meeting of the Locarno Powers will be attended only by Britain, France and Belgium is understood to be dependent upon conversations between the capitals of these three countries, following upon suggestions made by Mr. Eden to the French and Belgian Ambassadors yesterday. The possibility that the British Government would agree to such a meeting must be related to the broad aims of British policy which is directed toward the wider objective of a European settlement. The preliminary meeting of the three Powers would thus be part of the German scheme and preparatory to a meeting of all five of the Locarno Powers.

This objective could only be attained by stages, but the British Government desires to avert the division of Europe into blocs and counter-blocs such as preceded the events of 22 years ago, bv taking the initiative toward a general settlement. The British Government is not prepared to admit that the effort at conciliation contained in the London proposals of March 19 failed, as is pointed out in the newspapers.

Britain in the meanwhile maintains, in accordance with the agreement of that date, that her obligations to France and Belgium under the Locarno Treaty and her parallel obligation to join in staff talks against a "case of unprovoked aggression," have been faithfully executed. The enforcement of the letter of reassurance drafted at the same time would give these undertakings a definite, instead of a provisional, character and incidentally make them reciprocal. They would not, however, increase the amount of security enjoyed by Belgium and France. FRENCH AMBASSADOR DISCUSSIONS IN LONDON (Received July 19, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, July 18 The French Ambassador called at the Foreign Office to-day to discuss the proposed Locarno talks. The discussions will be continued over the week-end.