FRANCE REBUFFED

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17143, 27 December 1929, Page 5

FRANCE REBUFFED

MINISTER IGNORED NEGOTIATIONS WITH RUSSIA (Klec. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) MOSCOW, Dec. 24. The French Ambassador, M. Hcrbette, visited M. Litvinoft', ActingForeign Commissar, in order to remind the Soviet of the Kellog Pact obligations in connection with the Manchurian dispute. According to Soviet official newspapers, M. Litvinoff refused to accept the communication, reiterating what the Soviet Government had already intimated, namely, that it regarded the action- of England, France and America as unfriendly, especially when the Manchurian dispute was almost settled. When M. Herbette pointed out that he was'only acting on his Government's instructions, j\l. Litvinoff replied that such instructions did not compel him to accept the proffered declaration. M. Herbette tried to read the declaration, but M. Litvinoff refused to listen. He also declined to accept the document itself, which M. Herbette thereupon placed on the table and departed. RUMORS DENIED A TRIVIAL INCIDENT (Received December 27, 10 a.m.) PARIS, Dec. 2.3. Sensational stories in certain organs of the French Nationalist press to the effect that the French Ambassador, M. Herbette, at Moscow, had broken off relations with M. Litvinoff, and was returning to Paris,' are flatly denied by official quarters to-night. The incident,-if it can be described as such, is said to have resulted from the French envoy's effort to deliver to the Soviet Rumania's communication regarding the Russo-Chinese crisis. According to accounts reaching here, M. Litvinoff informed M. Herbette that he would not even accept a Note from "a third-rate Power." To-night's Temps, reflecting the Foreign Office view, says: "What it would be well to bear in mind is that with a Government such as that of Moscow it is a singularly delicate and ungrateful task to attempt to perform good offices, whether as a simple intermediary or in conformity with pure international courtesy."