PEACE TERMS FOR GERMANY’S SATELLITE STATES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 89, Issue 304, 26 December 1945, Page 5

PEACE TERMS FOR GERMANY’S SATELLITE STATES

PROCEDURE AS TO FRAMING “BIG THREE” CONFERENCE AGREES

Heed. 12.20 a.in. Moscow, Dee. 25. The Foreign Ministers’ Conference reached an agreement on procedure for preparation of the peace terms for Italy, Rumania, Bulgaria. Hungary and Finland, and to invite China and France to agree to them. It has been decided:— Firstly, that the Foreign Ministers of Britain, America, Russia and France work out the peace terms for Italy. Secondly, the Foreign Ministers of Britain, America and Russia work out the peace terms for Rumania, Bulgaria' and Hungary. Thirdly, the Foreign Ministers of Britain and Russia work out the peace terms for Finland.

The report added that the Council of Foreign Ministers is calling a conlerence not later than May 1, 1946, for discussion of the peace terms with Italy, Rumania, Bulgaria, Hungary and Finland. The conference will consist of the Council of Foreign Duties (Britain, America, Russia, China and France) also all other united nations who actively participated in the war against the enemy, namely New Zealand, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Czechoslovakia, Ethiopia, the Ukrainian and White Russian Republics, Yugoslavia, Poland, Norway*, Greece, Holland. Brazil. The report concluded that the final text of the peace treaties will be drawn up after the conference and will be signed by representatives of the States representatives of the States represented at the conference which have been at war with the enemy State in question. The Foreign Ministers on Sunday concluded the first week of the three Power conference with an informal meeting in Mr. Molotov's office at the' Kremlin, says Reuter's correspondent in Moscow. This is the third private session, in addition to six formal meet-1 ings.

American sources continue to suggest that the informal talks are making good progress in “a warm, human atmosphere." The three Foreign Ministers after

Sunday’s talk attended an official luncheon given by Mr. Harriman, U.S. Ambassador. During the afternoon Generalissimo Stalin received Mr. Byrnes, with Mr. Molotov. Mr. Harriman was also present. The “Observer s” diplomatic correspondent says: “Although complete official silence has been maintained about the Foreign Ministers’ meetings, indications are available that the most difficult outstanding issues concern the Middle East. Signs are increasing that Russian policy in Persia aims not only at a virtual separation of Azerbaijan from Persia, but also installing a government of Russian choice in Teheran. “The Russian war of nerves against Turkey simultaneously has intensified. These moves suggest a wish to make the Black Sea a Russian ‘mare nostrum,’ with its coasts as a springboard for expanding Russian influence in the eastern Mediterranean. Such a policy would directly threaten the vitals of the British Empire.” The correspondent adds: “The contrast between Russia’s forward policy in the Middle East and her moderate policy in the Far East is not overlooked in London. It explains certain reserve which London feels regarding optimistic American forecasts about the Moscow conference. Britain will not be a party to a Middle East Munich.”