New Soviet Reply To United States Covers Wide Field

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26779, 24 May 1948, Page 5

New Soviet Reply To United States Covers Wide Field

New Zealand Press Association—Copyright Rec. 11 p.m. LONDON, May 23.

Moscow Radio issued a new reply to the United States on relations between the two countries, covering questions of atom weapon control, Japanese and German peace treaties, the withdrawal of troops from China and Korea, respect for national sovereignty, and military bases.

The statement said: “ The Soviet stands for the total ban on atomic weapons and for the utilisation of atomic energy only for peaceful purposes.” The statement alleged: First, the United States was not carrying out the United Nations iesolution to expedite disarmament, but was continually increasing its armaments and armed forces. Secondly: The United States had rejected all Russian proposals for the ban of atomic weapons. " Only when a resolution on the ban of atomic weapons is eccepted is there any sense m establishing international control. Thirdly: “If the United States adhered to tile Yalta and Potsdam agreements the Foreign Ministers’ Council would have been able to deal successfully with the German peace treaty. The United States policy contains the danger of establishing in Western Germany a strategic base for further aggression in Europe.” . Fourthly: The Foreign Ministers Council, according to Potsdam decisions, should prepare the Japanese settlement. The United States was assisting to re-establish Japan’s military

and economic potential, and thereby dealing a blow to peace. Fifthly: Soviet troops left China and American troops were still there.

Sixthly: Russo-American agreement on the re-establishment of Korean independence was impossible “ because the American authorties have adopted an anti-democratic policy of supporting reactionary and pro-Japanese groups.” Seventhly, the United States intervened in other countries’ affairs with political and economic pressure. (The statement cited Italy and Greece.)

Eightly: The statement said military bases such as the United States was maintaining in countries bordering the Soviet Union could not be justified after the end of the war. Ninthly: The United States was pursuing a policy of trade discrimination against the Soviet Union. The inadmissible pressure which the United States exercised at international trade conferences in Geneva and Havana caused many complaints. Tenthly: The so-called aid that the United States was giving to some countries was directed unilaterally instead of through the United Nations.