BELGIAN INVITATION

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 247, 18 October 1937, Page 7

BELGIAN INVITATION

NINE-POWER TALKS TO OPEN END OF OCTOBER FOREIGN MINISTER’S VIEWS BRUSSELS VENUE OPPOSED (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) Received Oct. 17, 5.5 p.m. BRUSSELS, Oct. 15. The Belgian Government has derided to call the Nine-Power Conference, which it is stated will open on October 30. The Foreign Minister, M. Spaak, is reported to have told Cabinet that the Nine-Power Conference should not be held in Brussels, as Italy and Germany would not attend and it might embarrass Belgian neutrality. JAPAN MAY ATTEND OFFICIAL STATEMENT NOT IF BRANDED AS AN AGGRESSOR. TOKIO, Oct. 15. The Foreign Office spokesman stated that there was a possibility that Japan would attend the NinePower Conference, but not if Japan was branded as :.n aggressor. The Government was waiting for the agenda before making a decision. It is hinted that naval quarters favoured a war blockade to prevent other Powers sending munitions to China. AMERICA TO ATTEND SPEEDY ACCEPTANCE OF INVITATION. Received Oct. 17, 8.36 p.m. WASHINGTON, Oct. 16. The Secretary of State, Mr. Cordell Hull, accepted the invitation to the Nine-Power Conference. The announcement almost immediately followed the receipt of the invitation from Belgium.

Mr. Hull delegated Mr. Norman Davis, who probably will be sailing within a week with advisers, namely Messrs. Stanley Hornbeck, Pierrepont Moffatt, Robert Pell and Charles Bohlen.