PEACE TALKS

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVIII, Issue 23387, 19 December 1945, Page 5

PEACE TALKS

Canada Demands Consultation By Telegraph—N.Z Press Assn.—Copyright (Rec. 9.0 p.m.) OTTAWA, Dec. 17. Mr W. L. MacKenzie King (Prime Minister) told the House of Commons that Canada had made a very strong demand to the major Powers that Canada should be consulted on any peace talks, or at least invited to such talks on principle. “The British Government,” he said, “has every desire to see that Canada gets . representation, but sometimes it is beyond Britain’s control. The Canadian Government expects to have all countries know of Canada's part in the war and of the armed forces she committed to the struggle. We will expect Canada to be given lull recognition with all other countries in future.” He .added that during the war Canada often found herself in the embarrassing position of having to approve of decisions made beforehand. This was due to war emergencies and the need for secrecy. The Government sometimes was forced to decide whether to protest against the decisions or let them pass.

Right To Be Principal “I cannot emphasise too strongly Canada’s right to be one of the principals in drafting peace terms,” Mr MacKenzie King said. “The Government had not yet decided whether it

would be advisable for Canada to join the proposed Pacific Regional Council. “I think we have much to gain and nothing to lose by not taking too immediate steps regarding what is advisable in the present intricate situation in the Pacific.” Referring to the Far Eastern Advisory Commission, he said it would be premature to attempt to predict how the commission would function, but it would provide machinery for joint discussions. He announced that the Canadian representative on F.E.A.C. during the forthcoming visit to Japan will be Mr E. H. Norman, who served on the Canadian Legation at Tokio before the war. Colonel Moore Cosgrave will be Mr Norman’s economic consultant. Mr MacKenzie King announced that Canada had accepted the United States invitation to attend a conference next spring to discuss the possibility of reducing trade tariffs and expanding world trade.