SENSE OF URGENCY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26708, 1 March 1948, Page 7

SENSE OF URGENCY

SOVIET PROPOSALS TO FINLAND MILITARY ASSISTANCE PACT N.Z.P.A.—Copyright Rec. 10 p.m. LONDON, Feb. 28. A Russian proposal for a military assistance pact with Finland is officially announced. The proposal was made originally in a letter which President Juho Paasikivi received from Mr Stalin at the beginning of the week, says the Helsinki correspondent of The Times. The proposal does not come as a surprise because the extreme Left-Wing press for several weeks has urged the need for settlement with Russia as a security measure against foreign “ imperialistic ” aggression. The diplomatic correspondent of The Times points out that such a treaty would complete the Soviet network of similar pacts with her neighbours. The Government, under the Finnish Constitution, must have Parliamentary approval for military pacts. The Soviet therefore is no doubt anxious to procure a treaty before the general election in July as Communists lost many seats at the local elections in December. The terms of the proposal are not known, says the Helsinki correspondent of The Times, but it is understood that Moscow wants a pact on the same lines as the Czech-Russian 1943 treaty. (Under the Czech-Russian treaty, the two States agreed to render military assistance to each other in the event of future hostilities with Germany and countries uniting with her. to maintain close and friendly collaboration, and to develop their economic relations on the widest possible scale). Neighbours Alarmed Mr Stalin’s proposal for the pact has alarmed Finland’s Scandinavian neighbours. The Danish Conservative newspaper, National Tidende, says: “ The danger is getting nearer.” The Swedish Dagen Snyheter says: “ There is no doubt that the Russian action is directly connected with the Communist coup in Prague. The methods vary, but there is only one aim.”

The Finnish Social Democratic Party’s organ, Suomen Socialidemokraatti, which advocates friendship but no pacts with Russia, says: “ Finnish Communists would be wise to save the news despatches from Prague. With small modifications they might be useful for describing future developments in Finland.”

The Helsinki correspondent of the Associated Press says news of the Russian move reached the outside world before the Finnish people knew of it. The morning papers were silent about the long meetings on Friday between the Government and the President. The afternoon papers broke the news. Direct Instruction Suggested Reuter’s Stockholm correspondent says political circles think Russia’s request to the Finnish Government is really a direct instruction to Finland’s Parliament to give constitutional assenl to the conclusion of a military pact. The correspondent adds that only about one-fifth of the Finnish Parliament would appear to welcome the Russian request, but the House may authorise the Government io accept it for the sake of good relations with Russia—a point on which all parties agree. It is reported that the Soviet Ambassador in Helsinki, General Savonenkov, has been pressing the President, Mr Juho Paasikivi, for a fortnight to persuade the Finnish Government to approach Russia for a military pact. The sense of urgency seen in the Soviet request to Finland for a military pact is regarded as more consistent with a military plan with a strict time table than a diplomatic approach for a peaceful alliance. Scandinavian Communist Party leaders, including the Finns, met at Oslo earlier this week. Finnish political circles attribtue the readiness of most parties to accept Mr Stalin’s proposals, first, to the realistic reaction to any request from Mr Stalin, and, secondly, that Russia is Finland’s only food supplier for 1948, says Reuter’s Helsinki correspondent. The British United Press Helsinki correspondent says reliable reports state that Mr Stalin’s letter was not an ultimatum but was couched in friendly terms. It did not demand a strictly defined pact, and left room for negotiation.. It is learned that most political parties are ready to accept Mr Stalin’s proposal. President Paasikivi and the Cabinet discussed the proposal last night. It is learned that the President expressed the wish that parliamentary groups should disclose their attitude by March 2. Reuter’s Paris correspondent says the Conservative newspaper Aurore states that Moscow intends to make the Finnish Army a unit of the Red Army. It is the first step in the enslavement of countries to the Stalin bloc. ' W’Aube, the popular Republican newspaper, says that Moscow sent a strong man (General Savonenkov) as Ambassador to Helsinki. The establishment of Communist cells will be easy, since, as at Prague, the Ministry of the Interior and the Police are in Communist hands.