AGREEMENT WITH PATIENCE

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVIII, Issue 23322, 4 October 1945, Page 5

AGREEMENT WITH PATIENCE

American View Official Report By Telegraph—N.Z. Press Assn.—Copyright (Rec. 7.30 p.m.) LONDON, Oct. 3. The American Embassy, on the authority of Mr James F. Byrnes (U.S. Secretary of State) issued the following statement:— “The initial series of meetings of the Foreign Ministers’ Council dealt with many matters in accordance with the directive from the Berlin Conference to continue the preparatory work for a peace settlement with a view to submitting their conclusions to the United Nations. “The present meeting is the first meeting of the principal Allies to be held since the fighting stopped. There emerged differences of view which had not appeared so long as the first imperative was to preserve fighting unity. There was a considerable area of agreement on differences which were developed and explored in a spirit of conciliation. There is good reason to believe that with continued patience and understanding on all sides agreement on essentials can be attained. We are determined upon that outcome. “Towards the conclusion of the present series of meetings difficulties arose over procedure. The Soviet delegation came to feel that the treaty discussions should be confined in each case to the signatories of the surrender terms as contemplated by the narrow provisions of the first Berlin agreement. rather than under the broader provisions of the second Berlin agreement. The Soviet delegation on September 22 took the position that the Council should rescind the decision of September 11 under which China and France were invited to participate in all discussions. This would have meant the elimination of China from the pending discussion on the European peace treaties and the similar elimination of France, except in the case of the Italian treaty. “The United States Secretary of State took the position that he would be reluctant to see such a narrowing of particination in the pending work of the European peace treaties and the elimination from that work of permanent members of the United Nations Security Council. He would, however, accept any treaty-making procedure which was consistent with the Berlin agreement, provided that the Council agreed, as authorised by the Berlin agreement, to call a peace conference of the principally interested States.

“Such a conference should include the permanent members of the Security Council. European members of the United Nations and non-European members who had supplied substantial military contingents against the European members of the Axis. The Council would review the preliminary treaty work of the conference. “The Soviet delegation took the position that it could not make a commitment in reference to such future peace conference without personal consultation with its Government. The Council's work in the circumstances wiil be held in abeyance. If. as we confidently hope, agreement regarding future procedure is obtained, the drafting work of the deputies can then go forward on (lie basis of the directives which the Council has already given the deputes"