BALKANS ECONOMIC DEBATE ENDS IN A DEADLOCK

Wanganui Chronicle, 7 October 1946, Page 5

BALKANS ECONOMIC DEBATE ENDS IN A DEADLOCK

PROBLEM OF REPARATIONS

Recd. 5.30 p,m. Paris, Oct. 5. After a continuous session over 2b hours, the Balkans Economic Con.mittee ended in a deadlock by adopting, by nine votes to five, a British, proposal that Bulgaria should pay | £31,250,000 reparations to Greece and Yugoslavia, the Foreign Ministers Council to decide the division. Weary, heavy-eyed delegates this morning listened to a five hours’ virtual filibuster by the Slav delegates, who wanted the clause regarding Bulgaria's reparations payments referred back to the Big Four. The Slavs blocked an American proposa thAt Bulgaria should pay £25,000,000 to Greece and Yugoslavia, together, and a British one that she should pay the same amount to Greece alone, am. settled with Yugoslavia afterwards. The Yugoslav delegate, Mr. Bartos, demanded that Bulgaria should be given equal treatment with Italy regarding reparations, which would mean the payment o£ about one pet cent, of Bulgaria's national income—£6,2so,ooo, he suggested £2,500,000 Ot this should be allotted to Greece anu the remainder to Jugoslavia, the payments to be spread over ten years. The committee, by nine votes to live, rejected a Russian proposal to refer the decision of Bulgaria s reparations to the Big Four Foreign Ministers.

The committee, by 13 votes to 1, rejected a Greek proposal that Bulgaria should pay £40,000,000 by May y, and a Yugoslav motion that Bulgaria should pay £6,250,000. The committee carried, by seven votes to six, a Greek amendment that a Bulgarian payment of £31,250,C0c should be equally divided between between Yugoslavia and Greece over six years. The United Slates voted with the Slav States opposing Ihe proposal and France abstained. The voting for the British proposal, which was carried by 9 to 5, was: For: Britain, America, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, France, Greece, India and South Africa. Against: Russia. Ukraine, Czecni. Slovakia, Yugoslavia and White Russia. The Balkans' Economic Committee, by 9 votes to 4. adopted the reparations article of the Finnish Treaty giving Russia £75,000,000. America, Canada, New Zealand and South Africa voted against and Australia abstained. TTie Italian Economic Committee agreed, by 11 votes to 4, to a British proposal that the total reparations payable by Italy should be £81,250,000, and that Russia, Yugoslavia, and Greece each receive £25,000,000 and Ethiopia £6,2544)00. The committee voted on whether

or not Albania should receive reparations, and the voting resulted in a tie 10-10. The chairman thereupon ruled the proposal defeated. The principle of equal reparations for Yugoslavia and Greece was adopted by 15 votes to 1.

The Italian Economic Committee has completed its work. An effort has been made to speed up the remaining stages of the United Nations Conference in Paris. At the full session to-morrow Mr. Bovin ‘Britain) will preside. The conference is to end on October 15 and treaties for Bulgaria, Hungary, Rumania and Finland are to be completed. To accomplish the work ahead the conference must sit continuously for 24 hours each day, delegates attending in relays