The Timaru Herald WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 19. 1945. Moscow Meeting

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVIII, Issue 23387, 19 December 1945, Page 4

The Timaru Herald WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 19. 1945. Moscow Meeting

THE meeting of the British, United States and Russian Foreign Minister in Moscow has been described as “fateful”; it is that, for the Big Three must be brought closer together if there is to be a reasonable chance of the first General Assembly of the United Nations Organisation achieving what is earnestly, hoped of it throughout the world. It has been clear during the past few months that the Big Three unity, which was the basis of the Allied victory over Germany and Japan, has suffered change mainly on account of the desire of at least one partner to follow certain policies framed without reference to the wishes of the other partners. It would I 've been unnatural and unexpected for the Big Three to roost permanently on one branch like cooing doves, for there must be inevitable differences in outlook on questions which are of closer concern to one partner than the others. Differences must exist, but it is the plain duty of statesmen in each country to make certain as far as possible that these differences do not develop into open breaches. It is no exaggeration to say that the future of mankind depends upon

the diplomatic wisdom shown by British, American and Russian statesmen at this crucial stage in world history- A war has been won, but that victory will achieve nothing unless a semblance of the New Order which the Allied combatants were persuaded they were fighting for is achieved. If the Big Three cannot agree now on the foundation of that New Order, then it can be said without qualification that there is not the remotest chance of the United Nations having a more successful life than the League of Nations. It is regrettable that the Moscow meeting, which is so vital as a preliminarv to the General Assembly of the United Nations, should begin its sessions under the shadow of events in Persia. It is clear that the rebellious movement in the northern part of that country has as least the moral support of Russia, and the fact that the Teheran Government was prevented from sending troops northward by the Russians is qyidence of something more than moral support for the insurrectionists. It may be that the Azerbaijan “Democrats” are legitimately desirous of establishing an independent regime, and even if they were justified in doing so it is still a breach of the Allied agreement with the Persian Government for any of the Allies to interfere in the domestic affairs of another country. If

Russia is interested in Persia she may be able to confront Great Britain and the United States with a completed political programme in the north against which they will be unable to protest, but action of this kind can only destroy a faith which other events have stretched unecessarily in recent months. It is much too early to be speaking of last chances, but it is certainly desirable that there should be reaffirmation of Big Three unity at this stage, and the outcome of the Moscow meeting may show what the prospects of enduring unity are. If the Moscow meeting is less fruitful than it should be, then there will be inevitable movement towards the establishment of a Western bloc in Europe, and the bloc system must make the future uncertain.