NO OBJECTION

New Zealand Herald, Volume 82, Issue 25300, 6 September 1945, Page 5

NO OBJECTION

RUSSIA IN KURILES - AMERICAN STATEMENT ITALIAN COLONIES' PATE (Reed. B.JO p.in.) NEW YORK, Sept. 5 The Secretary of State, Mr J. F. Byrnes, at a press conference before departing for London for the meeting of the Foreign Ministers' Council, said the United States had tacitly agreed that the Soviet should take possession of all Sakhalin Island, also the Kuriles. The matter, he added, was first broached to the United States at Yalta as an informal plan, but no agreement was reached or even attempted. However, the United States had no particular objection to Russia's action. Mr Byrnes added that he wanted it clearly understood that the United States made no commitment regarding the Kuriles. He said he planned to confer with the Soviet Foreign Minister, M. Molotov, during the meeting in London. The United States and Russia would reach an agreement without difficulty.

Mr Byrnes said he was also discussing in London Russia's hitherto undisclosed refusal to consider the United States proposal that the Powers confer regarding the formation of a new Rumanian Government. He disclosed that there was disagreement in the Department of State regarding the disposition of pre-war Italian colonies, but he and Mr Truman had decided what should be done. He refused to disclose the decision. OCCUPYING SIAM FIRST TROOPS ARRIVE (Reed. 10.80 p.m.) LONDON, Sept. 5 The first occupation troops to enter Siam have arrived at Bangkok, says the New Delhi radio. An Allied military mission has arrived at Bangkok, capital and chief port of Siam, to arrange the evacuation of Allied prisoners of war, said an earlier message. Deaths among Allied prisoners in Bangkok camps before the arrival of medical aid averaged 25 a day, says the Associated Press correspondent at Kandy. The majority of the prisoners with whom contact has been made or who have been evacuated by South-east Asia headquarters are suffering from some disease or malnutrition. Reports from Singapore indicate that beriberi, malaria, tuberculosis and several types of dysentery are prevalent. According to information reaching South-east Asia headquarters the Japanese, shortly before the end of the war, when it became obvious that they had lost, began concentrating on prisoners of war at main centres, inaugurating a programme of better treatment. Admiral Mouutbatten's headquarters reports that conditions in camps in Siam are improving satisfactorily, owing to the wholehearted efforts of British medical personnel, some of whom landed by parachute. ASHES OF WAR DEAD NEW YORK. Sept. 4 The delivery of the ashes of Japanese war dead in Tokyo, Yokohama, Chiba and Ibaragi, which was scheduled for Friday, lias been indefinitely postponed as a precautionary measure. The Associated Press says a broadcast implied that the Japanese authorities feared there might lie trouble between the Allied forces and the people. MacARTHUR'S STAFF (Reed. 0.30 p.m.) WASHINGTON, Sept. fi Mr George Aitrhison, until recently counsellor at the American Embassy in Chungking, has been appointed actingpolitical adviser to General Mac Arthur in Japan.