NAVAL CONFERENCE.

Wairarapa Age, 11 March 1930, Page 3

NAVAL CONFERENCE.

CONVERSATIONS PROCEEDING. WEEK-END MISSION. M.’bBIAND’S PET HOBBY. Unite.! J're.s Associution. — By Eleetrir Telegraph.—Copvright. RUGBY, March 9. During the week-end the Naval Conference conversations have been proceeding between the French and British and American delegates. The Foreign Secretary, Mr Henderson, who was the luncheon guest of the French delegation yesterday, afterwards had a long talk with M. Briand. and then drove with him to Stanmore to see Mr. Stimson, with whom, they continued the conversation. To-day, M. Briand went to Chequers to lunch with the Prime Minister, the other guests including the Foreign Secretary, Mr. Craigie, of the Foreign Office, M. Massigli, member of the French delegation, and Captain Bellair, of the Admiralty. It is understood that the conversations related to the political questions to which reference was made in the French memorandum, and that M. Briand is anxious that this political implication, inherent in the French memorandum, should be discussed by delegates at the Naval Conference. COMPLICATED ISSUES. PROSPECT OF LONG DISCUSSION. LONDON, March 9. It is believed that the week-end conversations were directed to M. Briand’s pet project of securing British and especially United States participation in some sort of security agreement. M. Briand, on his return to London, admitted that the conversation included political topics. He added that they were very complicated and might last a week. F The 1 ‘ Sunday Times* ’ diplomatic correspondent understands, in event of the Five-Power Pact providing for mutual protection, France might lower her tonnage demands as much as 50 per cent.