DIPLOMATIC CONTACTS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 19900, 30 March 1939, Page 6

DIPLOMATIC CONTACTS

POSSIBLE COMMON STAND QUERIES IN COMMONS DEFINITE PACT FRO EL) (Klee. Tel. Copyright —United Press Assn.) (Itrilish Otlieial Wireless.) Reed, 1.90 p.m. RUGBY. Marclt 29. Britain does not favour calling a meeting of the League of Nations council to consider the international situation and prefers at the present time to conduct consultations Upon the issues arising from the recent events through ordinary diplomatic channels as to whether there is to be a conference of certain States for discussion of the possibilities of common action as proposed by the Soviet. These points emerged in answers given by Mr. R. A. Butler, the Foreign Under-Secretary, to questions asked in the House of Commons today. The Prime Minister, Mr. Neville Chamberlain, was asked by Mr. R. J. G. Boothby (Con., East Aberdeen) to give favourable consideration to a proposal for summoning immediately a conference of Powers whose interests lie in the preservation of peace in eastern Europe and for an assurance that the object of the diplomatic negotiations the Government is now conducting was not merely a joint declaration on the part of the Powers interested in the maintenance of peace, but the conclusion of a definite pact of mutual defence against aggression.

Mr. Chamberlain confined himself however, to referring the House to the statement he made in the House at question time yesterday. He added that the Government was in touch with the Soviet. At another stage Mr. Chamberlain repeated the assurance already given that, as soon as he had anything to report on the negotiations with other Governments, he would give it to the House of Commons. The Government, he said, was fully aware cf the urgency of the times and as many of the matters under consideration were of a very complicated nature, some time would be spent in making decisions and acting upon them.