EARLY TREATY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27382, 6 May 1950, Page 7

EARLY TREATY

Settlement With Japan CANADIAN VIEW Rec. 9.50 p.m. OTTAWA, May 5. The Minister of External Affairs, Mr Lester Pearson, said today that Canada wanted an early Japanese peace treaty. Mr Pearson said Canada snared the view of Australia. Britain and the United States that there was a danger of Communist progress in Japan if the occupation continued indefinitely. Canada would insist on a full voice at the treaty negotiations. Mr Pearson said that if Russia and Communist China would not accept suitable conditions for negotiation, the treaty should be negotiated without them. At least Russia should have no veto power. Mr Pearson said a balance must be struck between safeguards against the revival of Japanese aggression and against attack from other sources. Commonwealth officials now meeting in London were considering peace treaty provisions that would prevent the revival of Japan's ruinous pre-war fishing practices off the Pacific coast of North America.

Saying that he doubted whether a Pacific' pact would be discussed at the Sydney Commonwealth talks this month, Mr Pearson said Canada would favour a pact if the same position existed in the Pacific as that which made the Atlantic Treaty essential 18 months ago. but to talk of it when Britain, the United States and India were against it was premature and unrealistic. He questioned whether in those circumstances Canada would be willing to accept the commitment that any attack on Korea, Indonesia, Indochina, Burma, or other Pacific countries, would be considered an attack on Canada.