SERIOUS DIFFICULTIES

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVIII, Issue 23314, 25 September 1945, Page 5

SERIOUS DIFFICULTIES

Russia And Western Powers Formation Of Eastern Bloc By Telegraph —N Z Press Assn —Copyright (Received 7.30 p.m.) LONDON, September 23. FJRITISH officials refuse to describe the situation that has arisen at the Foreign Ministers’ Conference as a deadlock, but admit serious difficulties between Russian and Western Power delegates. The diplomatic correspondent of the “Daily Express” says the latest difficulty relates to whether the Governments which have no armistice arrangements with Balkan countries should participate in framing the peace treaties. M. Molotov, it is believed, holds that the Chinese and French delegates should be excluded from these discussions. The diplomatic correspondent of the “Daily Herald” says that far more important than the question of recognition of the present Rumanian, Bulgarian and Hungarian regimes is Russia’s insistence that in many respects Rumania and Bulgaria shall be treated not as former enemies but as allies. That, for example, whereas Italian armament shall be limited and placed under Allied supervision, Rumania and Bulgaria shall be allowed to maintain whatever armed forces they choose. The correspondent adds that an unpleasant but inescapable fact is that from the very beginning and on every issue, the Russian delegation appeared less anxious to seek a reasonable solution to the difficult problems tnan to secure advantages for countries which it is trying to form into an Eastern bloc under Russian leadership.

M. Molotov evidently regarded the whole meeting not as a council of allies, but as a conflict between ’East and West, in which his job is to score points and gain advantages for members of the Russian bloc, adds the correspondent. The crux and kernel of the whole problem is the Soviet Government's quite evident determination to divide Europe into two zones, of which the Eastern will be under Russian leadership and as far as possible under firm Russian control. • It was generally counted a good thing that there were no meetings to-day,” says the diplomatic correspondent of •'The Times.” Because each delegate will have time to breathe and take stock. The Council so far has been divided in two chief ways when discussing the Balkans. First there is the degree of military strength which former Axis satellites should be allowed to keep. The British view is that if armaments are kept restricted there will be less danger of Balkan rivalries becoming dangerous, involving the large Powers. Little progress has so lar been made cn the second main issue, the question as to whether the Bulgarian. Rumanian and Hungarian regimes can be regarded as democratic. This .involves intangib’e philosophical and ideological issues which the conference is loth to tackle. The "Daily Mail,” in a leading article, says: "It is incorrect to say that the London conference has completely

broken down. It is still in being, and before the delegates disperse no doubt some face-saving formula will be devised to cover their activities, but the mere fact that so many outstandingly important matters have been referred to the deputies shows to what extent the Council has failed to achieve its objects. Russia appears to have an indelible suspicion of the Western Powers and acts accordingly, the only result of which is to arouse countersuspicion and to forfeit the almost illimitable good will she enjoyed among the mass of the peoples.” Mr Attlee returned from Balmoral and immediately conferred with Mr Bevin on the difficulties which have arisen at the Foreign Ministers’ conference. "Pravda,” in an international review, strongly attacked the “Daily Mail” for suggesting that there was analogy between the Russian demands in the Mediterranean and the hypothetical British demand for participation in the administration of tire Polish Ukraine.

Describing the suggestion as malicious, “Pravda” says the frank statement by the “Daily Mail” exposes the desire of reactionary circles to isolate the Soviet Union and to ignore its interests. Not a single geographical text-book indicates that the Mediterranean is a British sea, or that the Italian colonies are British territory.