PEACE MOVE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23276, 20 February 1939, Page 9

PEACE MOVE

SPANISH WAR

AZANA INSISTS FOLLOWERS WARNED THREE DAYS' GRACE By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright Independent Cable Service (Received February 19, 10.15 p.m.) LONDON. Feb. 19 it is reported front Paris that the President of Republican Spain, Don Manuel Azana, who refuses to return to Spain, has sent an ultimatum to the Foreign Minister, Senor del Vayo, who went to Valencia yesterday, giving the Government three days to come to terms with General Franco, otherwise Senor Azana will proclaim as 1 rebels the Prime Minister, Dr. Negrin, and his Cabinet. The political correspondent of the Sunday Express says the Spanish war mav end this week with a formal offer of peace from the Republicans, "lhe offer, according to reports from Paris, will be conveyed through Britain to General Franco, who is expected to offer mercy to his political opponents and prisoners. CAUSES OF DELAY REPUBLICAN CABINET DIFFICULTY OVER TERMS VALENCIA HEADQUARTERS LONDON, Feb. 17 The seat of the Spanish Republican Government has been removed from Madrid to Valencia. Government departments will operate from different coastal towns, says a message from Madrid, Twelve members of the Cortes refused to go to Madrid, pending the outcome of the conversations between the Premier, Dr. Negrin, and the Foreign Minister, Senor del Vayo, for an early peace, says a despatch from Paris. In spite of the persuasions of Senor del Vayo, who is going to Alicante, the President, Don Manuel Azana, and Senor Barrio also declined to go to Madrid. Senor del Vayo's chief success was in inducing the President to defer a peace proclamation. The French mediator, M. Berard, is again going to Burgos in order to discuss conditions for permitting a de jure recognition of General Franco. This involves assurances regarding the evacuation of foreigners. Safety of Ex~Gombatants

Sir Robert Hodgson, British agent at Burgos, is simultaneously negotiating for Britain. The terms apparently depend upon the guaranteeing of safety to Republican ex-combatants and the termination of foreign intervention.

The Paris correspondent of the Times says he understands that Britain and France favour this basis, to which the Republicans will probably agree immediately.

A message from Burgos states that on the grounds of pernicious policy toward Spain the Nationalists have dismissed from the Central University Professors Pable de Azcarate, Republican Ambassador to Britain; Luis Azua, former Ambassador to Czecho-Slovakia; Jose Giral, War Minister, whom General Franco warned in 1936; Fernando Delos Rios, Ambassador to the United States; Dr. Negrin and Senor Julian Besteiro. Smuggled Gold and Jewellery The report of the Paris correspondent of the British United Press that General Franco had sent a Note to the French Foreign Office, pointing out that the activities of Republican leaders in the Paris Embassy had violated the principle of asylum, has been authoritatively denied. Seventy-nine Republican officers were collectively fined £90,500 for receiving smuggled jewels and gold from Spain, says another message from Paris. The Federal police at Geneva have closed the Spanish Consulate-General and sealed the archives.

MONEY FOR' ITALY

"SERVICES RENDERED" Independent Cable Servico LONDON. Feb. 17 It is reliably stated that General Franco deposited the equivalent of 175,000,000 lire at Rome on Wednesday as an instalment "for services rendered."

The money is reported to have been obtained through a powerful FrancoBritish syndicate.