ATTITUDES MADE CLEARER

Southland Times, Issue 23823, 22 May 1939, Page 7

ATTITUDES MADE CLEARER

BRITISH AND SOVIET POINTS OF VIEW LORD HALIFAX’S TALKS IN PARIS (British Official Wireless) (Received May 21, 6.30 p.m.) RUGBY, May 20. The developments yesterday have assisted Britain and Russia in defining to each oilier the attitudes of the two Governments. M. Maisky, who will preside over the League Council meeting on Monday, left for Geneva after having two interviews at the Foreign Office and attending the debate on foreign affairs in the House of Commons. At the morning meeting, according to commentators, M. Maisky indicated that his Government saw no hope of an agreement on the lines of the recent British proposals, and in the afternoon the Cabinet's foreign policy committee met and again considered the question in the light of M. Maisky’s communication and in view of the approaching conversations in Paris and Geneva. Lord Halifax and Mr Chamberlain had a long talk after the meeting. ■ It is assumed that the French Minister (M. Edouard Daladier) and Foreign Minister (M. Georges Bonnet) in their talks with Lord Halifax will again express the French desire, which is fully shared in London and warmly supported by Turkey, for a speedy AngloSoviet agreement. Means of overcoming the difficulties are being frankly faced.

The diplomatic correspondent of The Times says that in practice Moscow wants the pact to be wider in scope and tighter in form than the system of assurances proposed by London. The Soviet view is that such a pact would warn off all aggression in Europe. Moscow also wants assistance among the three Powers to be automatic in the case of an attack on one of them, but London at first suggested that Soviet assistance should be given when required if Poland and Rumania were attacked.

Over the week-end, adds The Times, the British Government is to press forward again with determination and goodwill in its attempt to reach an agreement. The position will be reviewed by the Cabinet on Lord Halifax’s return.