PEACE IN EUROPE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22504, 23 February 1935, Page 13

PEACE IN EUROPE

THE LONDON DECLARATION DEVELOPMENT OF PROPOSALS tßrltlsh Official Wlreless.l (United Press Association.) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) RUGBY. February 21. The exchange of views between the British and French Governments on the further development of the proposals for the pacification of Europe contained in the Anglo-French declaration of February 3, particularly in reference to the German Government’s reply to that statement, were reported to the weekly meeting of Cabinet. Germany, while undertaking to subject the entire proposals to exhaustive examination, expressed her readiness to seek as soon as possible in free agreement between the Governments concerned ways and means whereby the projected air convention of the Western Powers might become a reality. This intimation of Germany’s attitude met with a sympathetic response. The newspapers, however, state that the view of the British Ministers is that no special section of the AngloFrench statement should be divorced from its context, and any conclusions reached should be based on the documents as a whole. Germany’s suggestions that there should be direct exchanges between the British and German Governments as the next step is welcomed, and a visit of a British Minister to Berlin is likely to take place at a later, date. The Times says that the Soviet Government has also intimated its desire for a visit of British representatives to Moscow. The Daily Telegraph’s diplomatic correspondent suggests that, in view of the British insistence of European settlement, it might well be considered desirable that the Minister should extend his Berlin trip so as to include visits to Moscow and Warsaw before his return to England. " Continuation of the journey further ' eastward,” says the Telegraph, in editorial comment, “ may bridge that hiatus of misunderstanding between Germany and Russia over which the Soviet shot a bold but propitiatory arrow.’? ’’ S(r John Simon will have further opportunity of direct, contact with M. Flandin and M. Laval when at the end of next week; he visits Paris unofficially to deliver a lecture there. The Soviet Ambassadors in London and Paris have delivered the Notes In reply to the Anglo-French declaration, the text of which was submitted to the Moscow Government. The London Agreement is welcomed in the Note on condition that it is carried out fully individually.” RUSSIAN REPLY. CRITICISED LONDON, February 21. (Received Feb. 22, at 5.5 p.m.) The Times Berlin correspondent says the Russian reply to the British and French Ambassadors has been criticised, especially the suggestion that any country not accepting the regional pacts will be self-branded as a disturber of peace. Commentators point out that such an attitude does not conform to the principle of free negotiation on which the London programme is based, implying freedom to reject or propose amendments to any item. .