THREE DEFENCE ZONES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27580, 23 December 1950, Page 7

THREE DEFENCE ZONES

Scandinavia To The Middle East PLANS CONSIDERED NZPA—Copyright LONDON, Dec. 21. The Atlantic Treaty Defence Ministers and military chiefs are considering the creation of three separate zones of defence stretching from Scandinavia to the Middle East. Final plans will not be made until General Eisenhower arrives in Europe as supreme commander of the organisation, but the lines which are likely to develop are:— 1. A Central European Command under the personal direction of General Eisenhower. 2. A Northerg Command spreading over Scandinavia and parts of the Baltic, with a commander junior to General Eisenhower and reporting through him to the Atlantic Treaty headquarters in Washington. 3. A Mediterranean Command, the responsibility for which would rest with British Commonwealth Middle Eastern countries and two associate members of the Atlantic Pact, Greece and Turkey. This would probably be under a Commonwealth commander. A Washington message says that the United States Secretary of State, Mr Dean Acheson, on his return from Brussels was confident that world peace will be achieved. Mr Acheson said the conference of the North Atlantic Powers was “ very successful.” Asked about prospects for world peace, he said: “ This is the only possible way that we can do it.” General J. Lawton Collins, Army Chief of Staff, said today he expected that some additional American troops would be sent to Europe before July 1 next. He made the statement to reporters upon his return from the North Atlantic Treaty organisation meetings in London. .General Collins said he could not indicate how many troops would be sent.

A Bonn message says the Western Allies told the West German Chancellor, Dr Konrad Adenauer, today that they were prepared to abolish occupation controls if Germany participated in European defence. Dr Adenauer an<j the three Western Allied High Commissioners agreed upon procedure for negotiating the formation of German military contingents and for the revision of Germany’s political status. Dr Adenauer sought a “ security treaty ” to replace occupation controls, bringing West Germany nearer the status of an ally. A statement issued after the meeting said the High Gommissioners and Dr Adenauer , agreed that German and Allied experts should shortly examine the scale and manner of the German contribution for subsequent discussion between the Allied High Commission and the Federal Government.