FRANK AND CANDID

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25364, 23 October 1943, Page 5

FRANK AND CANDID

MOSCOW DISCUSSIONS TONE PLEASES MR EDEN • (Rec. 11.30 p.m.) LONDON, Oct. 22. Marshal Stalin received Mr Anthony Eden last night. M. Molotov and the British Ambassador, Sir Archibald Clark Kerr, were present. The Moscow conference has now settled down, with afternoon sessions attended by the three Foreign Ministers and such ex.perts as the subjects under discussion require. Mr Eden and Mr Cordell Hull meet their respective staffs in the mornings and review the subjects for discussion in the afternoons.

Following Wednesday's discussion, in which the military experts participated, Mr Eden expressed himself as most pleased with the tone of the talks. The British delegate said the talks were very frank and candid. It is the general opinion that the conference will consider the future of European countries, such as Greece and Jugoslavia, each presenting special problems. Both Britain and the Soviet have already made contact with the People’s Liberation Movement in Jugoslavia. British officers are attached to General Mikhailovitch’s forces. A strong plea for collaboration between Britain, America, Russia and the other United Nations was made by the Soviet Ambassador in America, M. Gromyko, in a broadcast speech. It is regarded as particularly timely because of the current Moscow conferences. M. Gromyko said: "In the present struggle against the common enemy the foundations of still closer and more fruitful collaboration between our countries are being laid.” He added: “The war has turned in our favour. The Germans have lost hope of victory, and the Soviet people are confident of the possibility of a speedy victory.” M. Gromyko issued a warning that Germany was stubbornly attempting to postpone defeat by attempting to introduce dissension in the ranks of the Allies.

The Soviet delegation to the conference consists of M. Molotov, Marshal Voroshilov, M. Vyshinski, M. Litvinov (Deputy Commissar for Foreign Affairs), M. Sergeyev (Deputy Commissar for Foreign Trade), Major-general Gryzlov (a member of the Soviet General Staff), and M. Saksin (a member of the Commissariat for Foreign Affairs).