EUROPEAN AFFAIRS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19134, 1 October 1936, Page 15

EUROPEAN AFFAIRS

AUSTRALIAN ATTITUDE ISOLATION IMPOSSIBLE CANBERRA, Sept. 11. The Minister of External Affairs, Sir George Pearce, in a review in the Senate to-day of European affairs, said that no country, whatever its inclinations and desires, could adopt a policy of indifference or isolation in international affairs. “A critical situation, whether it be in Palestine, the Far East or the Rhinoland, has i’ar-reacliing repercussions, and, with the prevailing feeling of insecurity and uncertainty, may well affect world stability and world peace,” he added. Sir George Pearce said that information received by the Commonwealth Government indicated that there had been a marked improvement in feelings between the major European Powers. The Commonwealth Government believed that the atmosphere was now favourable and that the prospects were good for a successful meeting of the Five-Power Conference to be held next month.

As a result of the invitation which bad emanated from the meeting on July 23 in London between the representatives of Britain, France and Belgium, lie said, tho German and Italian Governments had signified their willingness to participate in a Five-Power Conference. The Gorman Minister for Foreign Affairs had indicated that the middle of October would be, in his opinion, tho earliest suitable, dale.