DISARMAMENT

Southland Times, Issue 22348, 13 June 1934, Page 7

DISARMAMENT

COMMITTEE SET UP QUESTION OF REGIONAL AGREEMENTS BRITAIN’S ATTITUDE (British Official Wireless.) Rugby, June 11. Britain will be represented on all the committees set up at Geneva by the General Commission of the Disarmament Conference. The British delegate explained that in regard to the special European security committee the United Kingdom’s willingness, if desired, to contribute a member would be on the understanding that she was not contemplating that further regional agreements would be agreements to which she would be a party. The United Kingdom had already become a party to the regional security agreement of Locarno. She understood those now contemplated would be between the other parties. In bringing the meeting of the General Commission to a close, Mi’ Arthur Henderson expressed the wish . that private conversations with the aim of securing Germany’s return would proceed with the least possible delay, otherwise he might have to call a meeting of the Bureau. Italy and Hungary ha”d stated that they would join the security committee only as observers as they wished for more universal security than regional pacts made possible. M. Litvinoff reserved his right to raise the question of regional security on continents other than Europe. Replying to a question in the House of Commons regarding the possible modification of certain provisions _of the Lausanne peace settlement dealing with demilitarized zones adjoining the Dardanelles and Bosphorus, Sir John Simon said the matter had been tentatively raised over a year ago by the Turkish delegate to Geneva. It had not formed a subject of specific representations to his Majesty’s Government. Sir John Simon took a recent opportunity of mentioning it to the Turkish Foreign Minister at Geneva, and his. Excellency had then assured him that in the present circumstances the Turkish Government did not propose to pursue the matter.

GERMANY’S RETURN INITIATIVE WITH MUSSOLINI. (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright.) (Rec. 9.15 p.m.) London, June 12. The diplomatic correspondent of the Daily Telegraph says that although Germany’s return to the Disarmament Conference is deemed as vital and urgent, no fresh move towards this purpose can be expected either by the British Government or by Mr Arthur Henderson. The initiative will be left with Signor Mussolini, who confers with Herr Hitler on Thursday.