POLICY OF BURMA

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21156, 4 July 1940, Page 12

POLICY OF BURMA

HELP FOR DEMOCRACIES in ' OPPOSITION TO AGGRESSION DOMINION STATUS WANTED /United Press Assn. —Elec. Tel. Copyright) LONDON, July 2 The Governor of Burma on June 22 received from the Premier the following statement of the Burma Government’s policy toward the war: j “At tl»»s critical juncture in the ] history of the world and of the war of freedom and democracy against brute force, the policy of the Gov- J ernment of Burma is to give the utmost help in the common task of making the forces of freedom and democracy triumphant in the present conflict. “The Government of Burma is a representative Government and cannot take adequate action in the pursuance of the above policy without the approval and co-operation of the people of Burma whom it represents. Nor can any action it may take be fully effective unless it is placed in respect of defence and external affairs in the same position as the fully self-governing members of the British Commonwealth. “While, therefore, the policy out- ( lined above is unconditional, the Government of Burma would strongly j urge upon His Majesty’s Govern- j ment the necessity of satisfying the | aspirations of the people of Burma i by making a declaration forthwith j to the effect that on the termination , of the present war His Majesty’s j Government will grant Burma a constitution which will enable her , to take at once her due place as a j fully self-governing and equal member of any commonwealth or fed- j eration of free nations that may be j established as a result of the war.” j Britain’s Appreciation This statement was communicated by the Governor to the Secretary for Burma who, with the approval of His Majesty’s Government, has sent j the following reply:— “Please express to your Min- ; isters His Majesty’s Government’s j deep appreciation of their uncondi- j tional offer as representatives of the j people of Burma to give their ut- | most help in the common task of | prosecuting the war against the forces of evil and securing the i triumph of freedom and democracy, j “As evidence of His Majesty’s Government’s appreciation and in order to secure the closest co-operation j possible between the people of Burma j and the Governor in discharging the 1 functions entrusted to him by the I Burma Act, particularly in the all- ; important sphere of defence, His | Majesty’s Government approves your i suggestion that you should forthwith j invite a representative of Burma to ■ serve as one of your counsellors to j assist you in the exercise of those functions. “As regards the question of future S j constitutional development, the policy I and intentions of His Majesty’s Government have been clearly declared in statements, which you delivered to your Ministers last November, that it will continue to use its best endeavours to promote the attainment of Dominion status as being the objective of Burma’s constitutional progress. After-war Developments “At this moment it is clearly impossible to predict what will be the world situation at the end of the war, what aspects the requirements of Burma’s defences and external affairs will assume in that situation and to what extent Burma will herself be in a position to cope with those requirements. “It is only in the light of circumstances that may actually obtain at the time that these questions can usually be considered and discussed, but when the war has been brought, to a victorious end, His Majesty’s Government will be very willing to . enter on the discussion of them.”