GOOD NEWS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25372, 2 November 1943, Page 3

GOOD NEWS

OUTCOME OF MOSCOW TALKS

COLLABORATION ASSURED

(Rec. 1.15 a.m.) LONDON, Nov. 1. A communique from Moscow giving the substance of the agreement is expected to be issued within the next few hours. Giving this news, a correspondent of the British United Press says that, in effect, it will be found that interAllied co-operation for the duration of the war and afterwards has been placed on the surest foundation.

Mr Churchill, President Roosevelt, arid Marshal Stalin will meet in the very near future, says the Daily Mail’s diplomatic correspondent. The time and place are secret, but it ( is possible that Marshal Stalin will for the first time travel outside Russia to attend. “It is understood that the impatient world will have very little longer to wait before it learns from Moscow itself what was decided at the Moscow conference,” reports Reuter’s diplomatic correspondent. “In the meantime the only authoritative disclosure is that which President Roosevelt made on Friday. President Roosevelt gave no details. These, however. have been supplied in abundance, particularly in the American press. The completed pictures of President Roosevelt’s disclosure seem to fall into two categories—first, intelligent anticipation; secondly, unqualified imagination. The first category includes such suggestions as an agreement to establish a permanent body to co-ordinate policy on a high level. The second category comprises any forecast of an Allied strategic time table.' It should be obvious that whatever strategic ’decisions were made will be treated as vitally secret. No information and no comment will be forthcoming from British official quarters until an official account is issued from Moscow.”

The correspondent says that Marshal Stalin, at the Kremlin dinner, which was most friendly and informal, and at which there were 60 guests, drank toasts to the First and Eighth Armies, and to Generals Clark and Montgomery. In a speech Marshal Stalin specially paid a tribute to the parts played by Generals Montgomery and Clark in the common war effort. Referring to the Allied navies and merchant navies, Marshal Stalin had said: “We do not talk much about the navies, but we understand the task they are carrying out.” Six Allied spokesmen were present, and with the help of interpreters talked in animated manner throughout the dinner. One of the guests said it was difficult to describe the cordiality. It was not just most convivial; it was real friends and comrades in arms sitting down together after good work done. Marshal Stalin shook hands with the guests as they left the Kremlin about 2.30 a.m. after a six-hour visit.

While most of the morning newspapers speculate on the most outstanding success of the Moscow conference, the diplomatic correspondent of The Times says London is preserving complete silence, and is not even commenting on American reports that a three-Power permanent commission is being established here. When the Moscow announcements come, giving as many details as can be made public at this stage, the German leaders and people will find no loopholes, but a single massive wall.