GENOA CONFERENCE

Southland Times, Issue 19508, 6 May 1922, Page 5

GENOA CONFERENCE

GERMAN VIEWS SUBMITTED TO MR LLOYD GEORGE THE ITALIAN AGREEMENT. (By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright.) (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) LONDON, May 4. (Received May 5, 8.30 p.m.) The Australian Press Association’s correspondent at Genoa states that Wirth and Rathenau had a lengthy interview with Mr Lloyd George and submitted their views on the general situation. The British delegation has not received any communication on the French position, and presumes that nothing will be done until M. Barthou returns to Genoa. Die British stand firm that a meeting of the signatories to the Versailles Treaty should be held before May 31, and at Genoa. Official circles allege that the fuss made in the English press over the Italo-Turkish agreement is due to a misunderstanding. Diplomats state that the agreement is not with the Kemalists but with Constantinople and is purely commercial and of a limited character. It does not affect in the least the amicable relations between the British and Italian delegations. ALLIES’ OFFER TO RUSSIA. SOVIET DELEGATES DISSATISFIED. GENOA, May 4. (Received May 5, 5.5 p.m.) The Russians declare that the Allies’ - offer of financial help is disappointing and inadequate. Probably the oilfields would constitute the basis of Russia’s whole future international policy. They were studying a plan for dividing the Baku and Gronzy fields into five zones, the Soviet to operate one and hand over the others to American, British, Belgian, and French groups conditionally upon de jure of the Soviet and receipt of adequate financial help. RUSSIAN RECONSTRUCTION GENOA, May 4. (Received May 5, 8.30 p.m.) Rakowsky has addressed a note to the Finance Commission detailing the credits necessary for Russian reconstruction, namely, for irrigation 2,700,000,000 gold roubles, for industry 1,000,000,000, and for reconstruction of railways 5,000.000,000, of which half would be foreign capital. ALLIED TROOPS IN RUSSIA. NO COMPENSATION FOR DAMAGE. LONDON, May 4. (Received May 5, 5.5 p.m.) Mr Chamberlain stated in the House of Commons that Britain had declined to admit any obligation to compensate Russia for damage caused there by Allied troops after the armistice. THE EUROPEAN PACT. CONDITIONAL FRENCH APPROVAL. PARIS, May 4. The Cabinet has approved of the principle of a non-aggression pact on condition that French rights under the Versailles Treaty are scrupulously observed.