NAVAL TREATIES

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20783, 19 July 1937, Page 7

NAVAL TREATIES

IMPORTANT AGREEMENTS MOOTED United Press Association -By Electric Telecrnoh -CoDVrleht (Received July 18, 6.30 p.m.) LONDON, July 17. Anglo-German and Anglo-Russian bilateral naval agreements were signed to-day by Mr Anthony Eden, Mr Duff Cooper, Herr von Ribbentrop (Germany) and M. Maisky (Russia). The agreements will be issued as a White Paper on Monday. It is hoped they will be ratified simultaneously with the London Naval Treaty of 1936, which the House of Commons will discuss next Tuesday. Russia made a reservation regarding the Far East. A special provision leaves the Soviet free from the obligation of furnishing information concerning naval vessels constructed and employed there. Also, after notifying Britain, the Soviets are permitted to depart from the Treaty in regard to qualitative restrictions in the Far East in the event of Japan departing from the Treaty limits. In addition, it Is agreed, in view of the Japanese cruiser development, that the Soviets should be allowed to fit 7.1 inch guns on seven new cruisers, although this change takes them out of the proper limits of their category. The treaties are current until 1942, subject to a conference in 1940.