SOVIET AGREES

Taranaki Daily News, 22 February 1935, Page 5

SOVIET AGREES

PEACE PACTS SCHEME THE PROPOSAL WELCOMED EUROPEAN. ACCEPTANCE 70 PER CENT. ADHERENCE WAY TO ACHIEVE PEACE By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright Rec. 8 p.m. Moscow', Feb. 20. The English and French Ambassadors have submitted the proposed, air pact to the Soviet Government, which has replied welcoming the proposals. The Soviet states that it has long realised that the impossibility of achieving complete disarmament and the difficulty of controlling and limiting armaments having been demonstrated, the only means of counteracting the danger of a fresh conflict is a system of regional pacts providing mutual .assistance for those States sincerely striving for peace. The Note states that Britain, France, Russia, Italy, the Little Entente and the Balkan Entente, aggregating a population of 365,000,000, or 70 per cent, of the people of Europe, favour such pacts; therefore it is hoped acceptance of the London agreement will be a material. step toward the consolidation of European peace. The {Soviet is also inclined to see recognition therein of the impossibility of localising a war starting in any part of Europe. The Note declares that European peace can be achieved only through all the regional pacts mentioned in the London agreement. Any disregard for this or that agreement would constitute encouragement for a breach of the peace. A political correspondent of The Times says it is understood the Soviet intimated that it would be glad to welcome British Ministers at Moscow if such visit could conveniently be arranged. TALKS WITH GERMANY SIR JOHN SIMON’S VISIT PRIME MINISTER MAY GO Rec. 9 p.m. London, Feb. 21. Sir John Simon, Foreign Secretary, according to present arrangements, will visit Berlin within a fortnight to negotiate with the German Government regarding the Anglo-French conversations, says the Daily Mail. It is understood that he will inform Germany that conclusion of the air pact depends on the progress of an agreement with Germany regarding the Eastern Locarno pact and arms limitation. Sir John Simon will renew his offer of armament equality to Germany by modifying part 5 of the Versailles Treaty. Sir John’s Berlin visit is contingent upon Sir John and M. Laval agreeing on a common policy when the former goes to Paris on February 28. The Prime Minister, Mr. Ramsay MacDonald, may possibly accompany the Foreign Secretary to Berlin. It is semi-officially stated, says the Daily Telegraph’s Paris correspondent, that the French Government is willing to leave the British Government a free hand to enter direct negotiations with .Germany in connection with the London declaration if it considers it