RUMANIAN COMMITTEE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26243, 29 August 1946, Page 7

RUMANIAN COMMITTEE

FAIR PROGRESS MADE PREAMBLE AND FRONTIER *- y (Rec. 7 p.m.) PARIS, Aug. 27. The Rumanian Political and Territorial Committee of the Paris conference adopted the Australian amendment proposing that reference to "the principles of justice” should be inserted in the treaty preamble. The preamble was adopted after rejection of a Czech amendment proposing that Rumania should be recognised as a co-belligerent. The first of the five territorial committees to begin consideration of the test drafts of treaties, the Rumanian Committee, unanimously adopted Article I, fixing the Rumanian frontier in accordance with the Russian and Rumanian agreement of June 28, 1940. and the Russian and Czechoslovakian agreement ,of June 21, 1945. It deferred decision on Article 11, covering the' return to Rumania of part of Transylvania awarded to Hungary by the Axis until Hungary can be heard before the Hungarian committee. The Rumanian Committee adjourned. . The Belgian’ delegation to the conference tabled an amendment banning former German. satellites from undertaking atomic research “with a military aim.” Mr Bevin and Mr Byrnes decided this week that it would be desirable to hold a Big Four Foreign Ministers’ conference to consider all the non-dr-ganisational matters in connection with the Paris conference, says Reuter’s correspondent. The meeting has, been tentatively arranged for September 29. France and the Soviet have so far not revealed their attitudes. Italian Economic Committee

Mr Molotov headed the Russian delegation when Dr E. R. Walker (Australia), in the Italian Economic Committee, moved a similar amendment to that which led to" the Rus-sian-Australian clash in the Balkans Committee. The amendment proposed a completely new draft for the article dealing with Italian reparations. The draft provided for the recognition by Italy of the claims of Russia and other countries for reparations, but proposed that compensation should be paid only in part in view of Italy's contribution to the war against Germany. The amendment further provided that the Reparations and Restitution Commission should within six months determine the amount of reparations, taking into account Italy’s capacity to pay.

He proposed that Russia should accept for reparations Italian assets in Bulgaria, Rumania, and Hungary at u value fixed by the commission, the balance to be paid to other countries in dollars or sterling or other curren'cies. Payments should be calculated as a percentage of Italy’s yearly exports, and should be spread over at least five years, but not . more than 10 years. Method of Payment Opposed

Dr Walker explained that the Australian motion was not intended to favour ex-enemy countries. Australia did not suggest that the Russian claim for £25,000,000 reparations from Italy was too high, but she did not. favour the method of payment in kind by bilateral agreement) which was especially inappropriate when there was only one claimant Power. The method would twist the economy of the paying country and ensure a market for many years for certain commodities of the claimant countries. Australia did not favour division of surplus war ftiaterial among claimants, and believed the material should be destroyed. \

Mr. Molotov, in reply, described the Australian proposals as stereotyped. They were the same for each committee. They were not constructive, and were likely only to cause angry discussion. Mr Molotov declared that Russia had borne greater sacrifices and made a greater contribution to the war than Australia. “All the Australian delegation’s actions in the matter are tendentious and biased This attitude- to Russia certainly will not mget with sympathy among the Rusian people. “ The Australian delegation displayed special energy and activity against Russia and nearly drowned the conference in a pile of amendments. This suggests that someone is helping them,” he said. “ Obviously no delegation alone would be able to prepare so many amendments-” Anti-Russian Move Alleged The Australian proposals regarding reparations were not made for the sake of the countries paying reparations, but were directed solely against Russia. Russia had taken into account the state of Italy *and the fact that Italy eventually came into the war on the Allied side, therefore she had modified her claims to a minimum figure. “We are rigidly opposed to postponing fixing the amount of reparations. If the vanquished countries were made to pay reparatioris only in foreign currency it would mean they would be tied hand and foot with regard to prices at which they would have to sell their products. Australia is anxious to force these countries to sell goods to Britain. America, and the dominions at extremely low prices. Those who purchased them would be able to make enormous profits. I am surprised that the Australian delegation speaks with such extraordinary boldness and frankness.”