"FREE" LATVIA

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23761, 14 September 1940, Page 13

"FREE" LATVIA

THE SOVIET STATE POLICY OF NON-RECOGNITION Information that he is maintaining his office as representing an independent, national Government, has been received from the Latvian Ambassador in London, Mr. Charles Zarrin, by the Latvian Consul in Auckland, Mr. Norman Heath. The Ambassador states in a letter to Mr. Heath that on July 14 and 15 Parliamentary elections, for which no other political organisation but the Communist party was able to propare, were held in Latvia under extreme conditions of duress, in the presence _of strong foreign armed forces and high Russian Government officials. The Parliament so elected had, moreover, in direct contravention of the Latvian constitution on which the election was professed to be based, resolved to seek incorporation in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. "As a representative of the independent, national Latvian Government, and of the president of the republic who on July 19 was deposed from his office, I regard my country as having become the victim of wanton aggression, and all the recent happenings mentioned above as enacted under duress and illegal," continued the Ambassdor. "Accordingly I have informed His Majesty's Government that I do not recognise the _ situation forcibly established in Latvia, and I shall continue to act as the representative of an Independent Latvia and the free Latvian people. I sincerely hope to enjoy, in this sad hour of my country, the full co-operation which I have always been so glad to receive from you under happier auspices." Pointing out that he had flown the national nag of Latvia over his office on national days of observance without regard to the inclusion of the country within the Soviet Republics, Mr. Heath said he would continue to carry on and recognise the authority of the Ambassador.