ENGLAND AND RUSSIA

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13998, 3 September 1907, Page 5

ENGLAND AND RUSSIA

THE NEW AGREEMENT SIGNED,

Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright,

LONDON, September 1. Tho Anglo-Russian Agreement has been 6igned.

September 2, (Received Sept. 2, it 9.34 p.m. ) Tho Anglo-Russian Agreement was signed in London.

The Times says it hopes the Agreement will prove a most important instrument for securing the peace of the world. The general tenor of the Russian pres6 is favourable.

The Daily Chronicle sajß that a, ecction of the Liberal party views the Agreement with some apprehension. < The details of the treaty will be published when the ratifications have been ex-

changed.

THE AGREEMENT CRITICISED. VIENNA, September 2. (Received Sept. 2, at 9.15 p.m.)

Professor Arminius Vambery contributes to thc Ner.t- Erie Presse a strong criticism of the Anglo-Russian Agreement. The professor says he doubts if it will remove the rivalry of a century or ensure a peaceful future for Asia. Ho sayp it will be possible to reach, an understanding tegai'ding'Persia and Thibet, bub he is pessi-

niietic about obtaining reliable guarantees concerning Afghanistan.

In September last year the London Daily Telegraph announced that the Czar and King Edward were about to sign an agreement by which Groat Britain and Russia adopted a policy of non-interferonco in the internal affairs of Thibet, and delimited tho respective spheres of influence of the two countrica in Persia. At a. later date it was stated .that negotiations had been interrupted bccause the Russian reactionaries were organising a systcmatio opposition to tho Government.

In the House of Commons on Juno 13 Sir Edward Grey informed Mr Ramsay Mac Donald that. the direct object of tho pegotiations proceeding with Russia was to prevent oonflicts and difficulties between

tho two Powors in the part of Asia which affeotcd tlio Indian frontier and the Russian frontier in tlmt region. If these negotiations resulted in an agreement it would dcnl only with theso Questions. "What- the indirect result would bo as regarded political relationships must depend on how ouch an agreement worked in practice, and what effect it had upon public opinion in both countries.