PEACE TREATY WITH THE JAPANESE

Wanganui Chronicle, 30 January 1948, Page 8

PEACE TREATY WITH THE JAPANESE

N.Z. ATTITUDE NOT HARSH (P.A.) Auckland, Jan. 27. New Zealand’s attitude towards the peace treaty with Japan was not vindictive, and was aimed at maintaining peace with security against further aggression, said Sir Carl Berendsen, New Zealand Minister in Washington, today. Sir Carl admitted that the Far Eastern Advisory Commission, on which he had served, had not come up to expectations and the reasons were not hard to find. On the whole the occupation force and military Government were doing an extremely good job, but when it came to making a permanent settlement with the Japanese they were up against a dead end. “The Americans say, and we support them, that the settlement cannot be left to the five great powers," said Sir Carl. ‘‘The Australians played a big part in the subjugation of Japan and, for our size, so did we. The Americans proposed a conference of 11 nations represented on the Far East Commission, all of which took part in the war, with no veto applying. This was opposed by the Russians and, to some extent’, by the Chinese. Matters are now at a standstill and the position is most difficult. "New Zealand’s request regarding Japanese reparations was very modest,” Sir Carl stated. “However, the larger powers are creating difficulties about reparations with the veto in action. Unless something is I produced on which we can all agree I we don’t get anywhere.”