TURKS PRODUCE SECURITY PLAN

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18418, 21 March 1928, Page 10

TURKS PRODUCE SECURITY PLAN

SOVIET CHALLENGES LEAGUE TO ABOLISH ALL ARMED FORCES. By Telegraph.—Press Assn. —Copyright. GENEVA, March 20. At the meeting of the Preparatory Commission on Disarmament, the Turkish representative, Rushdi Bey, produced a detailed proposal for security, based on conciliation, security and non-aggression treaties. He said that Turkey, like other nations, sought the ideal security achieved through a federation of nations imposing peace, but that at present was impossible. Therefore she sought relative security as the best obtainable through bi-lateral and multi-lateral treaties and non-aggres-sion neutrality pacts, surrounded by guarantees. League members should, however, be released from pledges of non-aggression so soon as any other State became the aggressor. M. Litvinoff (Russia) followed with a recapitulation of the League’s failures in the direction of disarmament. He reiterated the statement that the Soviet was ready to abolish armed forces directly others agreed to do likewise. M. Litvinoff insisted on the Commission deciding definitely whether the League accepts the principle of complete disarmament, and whether it is prepared to carry out within a year the first stage of the Russian plan, which would be sufficient to render war impossible. Count Bernstorft (Germany) welcomed the Soviet proposals. The Commission adjourned.—Aust. and N.Z. Press Assn.