ALLIED CONTROL IN JAPAN

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVIII, Issue 23316, 27 September 1945, Page 5

ALLIED CONTROL IN JAPAN

Surprise Demand By Molotov U.S. Handling Criticised By Telegraph—N.Z. Press Assn.—Copvrlglu (7.30 p.m.) LONDON. Sept. 26. The Council of Foreign Ministers met twice yesterday, M. Georges Bidault (France) presiding in the morning and Mr James F. Byrnes (United States) in the afternoon. The Council considered the Soviet Memorandum on the acceleration of the repatriation of Soviet nationals and the repatriation of French nationals from areas under Russian control and also examined Russian proposals for expediting work on the Reparations Commission and a French memorandum on restitution.

The Council will meet again to-day. “Although' the Council is no nearer a Balkans agreement, the meetings yesterday were held in an atmosphere which was a little better than at the week-end,” says the diplomatic correspondent of "The Times.” The delegates do not know when they can again discuss the Balkans, but they had two days on other matters in which they agreed broadly on how Austria should be supplied and discussed the repatriation of Soviet nationals, which is a mass of tangles, because Russia claims many Baltic citizens and others from East Poland who are now abroad. *

"Progress is still lamentably slow, even on minor matters, but there is no reason to believe that the Council will disperse without considering Allied control for Japan and the French proposals for Western Germany,” adds “The Times.” “The establishment of a control commission for Japan did not seek an urgent task when the Potsdam Conference drew up the programme for London, but Russia is now anxious to have such a commission established. Britain also has suggestions to bring' forward. “The present session may end within one or two days for which reason the Ministers may not have time for more than passing proposals for Germany and Japan to deputies with a general recommendation, but even that would be a step forward, saving much time.” M, Molotov surprised the Foreign Ministers’ Council yesterday by raising the question of an Allied Control Commisssion for Japan, says the diplomatic correspondent of the “Daily Herald.” He criticised the American handling of the situ-

M. Molotov

ation and urged that the control of Japan should be in the hands of a commission of Powers which, in the Russian view, contributed mostly to the Far East victory, namely, Britain, America, Russia and China. The correspondent adds that there was no suggestion that New Zealand, Australia, er India played any part and should, therefore, have any share in the control. A communique issued after a meeting of the French Cabinet last night stated that the Foreign Ministers’ Council in London ends to-day. It added that most of the questions discussed were referred to the deputies, whose decisions will be submitted to .the Council, when it meets in November. ' Reuter’s Paris correspondent says that the French Foreign Office spokesman denied that a communique was issued announcing the end of the Foreign Ministers’ conference to-day. The spokesman said that France expects the meeting to last a few more days. He also denied reports that M. Bidault is going to Paris to-day or tomorrow.