THE PEACE CONFERENCE.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume IV, Issue 1230, 21 January 1918, Page 5

THE PEACE CONFERENCE.

CONFLICTING REPORTS. (A. & N.Z. & Riuter) LONDON, Jan. 18. A wireless German report from Brest Litovsk says:—A private meeting between Count Czernin (Austrian Foreign Minister) and the Ukrainians on January 10 settled in principle the future political relations between tbe Central Powers and the Ukraine. M. Trotzky, at Monday's sitting of the Austro-German-Russian Commission, took a note of Herr von Kuhlmann's declaration that territorial negotiations rested exclusively on the political will of the German Government. M. Trotzky denied that his Government had outlawed anyone differing from it, and added that when Rumania resorted to force on Russian territory against revolutionary soldiers and workmen, he and his fel-low-delegates recommended the Petrograd Government to arrest the Ambassador and his staff, and was informed this had already been done. Herr von Kuhlmann emphasised that the Imperial Chancellor (Count von llertling) had issued instructions regarding the whole field of foreign policy. There was no divergence between the speaker's and Herr von Hoffmann's conceptions. The fundamental difference between the Central Powers and the Pussian delegation was that the Central Powers wished to see an orderly state arising in those regions without break or violent transition. They were opposed to the idea of creating a vacuum and allowing the establishment of a State within the vacuum. M. Trotzky denied that the withdrawal of the army in occupation would create a vacuum. The peoples of Poland, Lithuania, and Courland woidd in nowise find themselves in a difficult political situation if the armies were withdrawn. Finally, at Herr von Kuhlmann's instance, it was agreed to discuss the four Russian points seriatim.

NO GERMAN WITHDRAWAL. (A. & N.Z. & Reuter) LONDON, Jan. 19. A Russian report from Brest Litovsk states that Herr von Kuhlmann indicated that Germany was willing to organise not later than one year after a general peace an extensive consultation with the peoples of Poland, Lithuania, and Courland regarding their self-deter-mination. M. Trotzky urged that the date should depend upon peace on the Eastern front and not on a general peace. Herr von Kuhlmann, after several attempts at evasion, declared that Germany could not undertake any obligation to recall the army in occupation.