BREACH WIDENS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25214, 1 May 1943, Page 5

BREACH WIDENS

RUSSIA AND POLAND MOSCOW PRESS OUTBURSTS LONDON, Apl. 29. Polish-Russian relations appear to have deteriorated very considerably, says the Moscow correspondent of the British United Press. The Russian press attacks against the Sikorski Government attained such violence today that observers doubted whether the Soviet will ever consider resuming relations with it. The territorial ambitions of some Polish quarters are being stressed in Moscow. The newspapers Pravda and Red Star point out that neither the Ukrainians nor the South Russians will become objects of political barter. Maxim Rylsky, in an article in Pravda, refers to General Sikorsky’s Cabinet as “a Government of treachery, lies, and perfidy, which is leading the Polish nation not to prosperity, but to perdition.” Reuter’s Moscow correspondent reports that the statement issued by the Polish Government in London last night has not yet been published in Moscow. Pravda makes it perfectly clear that the Soviet considers the present members of the Polish Government are compromised by anti-Soviet views and actions to an extent making it difficult to conceive that the Russians will ever consent to resume dealings with them. Reuter’s adds that the latest Polish statement is calculated only to fan considerably the flames of irritation in Moscow.

The Press Association’s diplomatic correspondent says that the Foreign Secretary, Mr Anthony Eden, saw M. Maisky, the Russian Ambassador, at the Foreign Office to-day for the first time since the severance of the Rus-sian-Polisli relations. Mr Eden undoubtedly took the opportunity of telling M. Maisky the nature of the British-Polish conversations which have been going on for the past 48 hours. In the meantime, Sir Archibald Clark Kerr, the British Ambassador in Russia, has been kept advised of the progress of the London talks, so that he can keep the Soviet informed. According to Polish circles the London scene has in a certain measure shifted to Moscow. No further conversations between British and Polish statesmen have been arranged for today, aud no further meeting of the Polish Cabinet has been fixed. The Polish Ambassador at Moscow, Count Romer, has gone to Kuibyshev. It is reported from Helsinki that the German Government is calling jn “ international commission” to investigate the Polish officers’ graves. M. Arno Saxen professor of pathology at Helsinki University, is named as a member of the commission.

The Nazis are starting fresh Polish atrocity stories. Berlin radio quotes Ankara circles to-day for a report that all Poles who are working in Russia have been sent to concentration camps.