THE MOSCOW TALKS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26040, 2 January 1946, Page 5

THE MOSCOW TALKS

FRAMING OF TREATIES ALL STATES TO PARTICIPATE WASHINGTON. (Ree. 8 p.m.) Dec. 31. When he urged that a meeting of Foreign Secretaries should be held in accordance with the Yalta understanding, he knew that there was the risk of another impasse such as occurred at London. Although the discussions might not ultimately lead to agreements, they contributed to a reconciliation of differences. Mr James Byrnes said in a broadcast. “The Soviet took the stand in London tlvt peace treaties should be mad§, c-nly by the principal Powers signing the respective armistices.” he said. “ Other delegations held the view that all States actively participating in the war should participate in the peace. The London discussions helped greatly towards the Moscow agreement on peace machinery. Thai agreement meets our insistence that all States should participiate in the peace and recognises the responsible role of the larger Powers in peace-making.'' Mr Byrnes described the machinery for drawing up treaties and agreed upon as not ideal but a departure from the ideal standard more in form than in substance.

“ The proposals of the larger Powers are subjected to the judgment and public criticism of all the participating nations,” he continued. “Tnese nations must formally and publicly make their recommendations, and although the larger Powers are not bound by these

recommendations, they must agree in order to draw up treaties. The United States would not agree to a final treaty which arbitrarily rejected such recommendations.” The test of a successful peace was not in the form of its making, but whether it commended itself to the nations concerned by its justice and wisdom and also commanded the support of those nations whose unity was essential to the preservation of peace. The method agreed upon at Moscow gave ample scope for the achievement of these essentials. Discussing the former satellite States, Mr Byrnes said that since the London Conference it had not been found possible to recognise Austria and Hungary, where free elections had occurred. Rumania and Bulgaria "There is still a wide divergence in our viewpoints on the Rumanian and Bulgarian Governments,” he said. “ In those countries democratic institutions have not functioned according to the traditions familiar to us. The Soviet contends that the Governments in those countries are satisfactory and conditions do not warrant concerted action. Under the Yalta agreement, concerted action is possible only by common agreement. Until now, America’s objections to the exclusion of important democratic groups from those Governments and the oppressive way in which Government powers are exercised have been little heeded by those Governments or by the Soviet. It must be recognised that the Soviet has a very real interest in the character of the Governments of these States which are neighbours of the Soviet and were involved in war against the Soviet. The expected withdrawal of Soviet troops from these countries may therefore depend on the Soviet's confidence in the peaceful character of these Governments. , , „„ “ I urged on Marshal Stalin and Mr Molotov that it is in their interest as well as ours that the peoples and Governments of these countries should be peacefully disposed to the Soviet. I stressed our desire to work with the Soviet and not against it in making these Governments representative, and for the first time since Yalta the Soviet agreed to co-operate with us to this end. Tripartite Commission “ The tripartite commission is proceeding immediately to Rumania to advise the King on broadening the representation in the Rumanian Government. We sought this in London, but were unable to secure agreement. The British and American Governments have agreed that they will recognise the Rumanian Government as soon as they are satisfied that this Government has been broadened to include two truly representative members of two important political parties now unrepresented, and assurances have been given regarding a free election. freedom of speech in the press, religion, and association. “The Bulgarian situation is complicated by the fact that the Soviet regards its election as a free election. America does not. but the Soviet has undertaken to advise the Bulgarian Government to include two members representative of two important political parties, which are now excluded. The British and American Governments will recognise the Bulgarian Government as soon as this is done. The agreements on Rumania and Bulgaria do not go as far as I should like, but I am hopeful that they will result in a substantial improvement in the democratic character of these Governments.”