BRITISH PLAN FOR TRIESTE

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24909, 24 June 1946, Page 5

BRITISH PLAN FOR TRIESTE

The Paris correspondent of. the /‘Evening News” says a new plan for the settlement of the Trieste issue was before the Foreign Ministers this tafternoon. Mr Bevin was the originator of the plan. There are high hopes that it will be acceptable to Russia. The correspondent adds that Mr Bevin, foreseeing a new deadlock, tasked M. Bidault to formulate proposals for the internationalisation of ?he port within the framework of a Lneral settlement of the ItalianJugoslav frontier, based on a compromise line. “The Italian Cabinet unanimously passed a resolution calling on the Big four Foreign Ministers to refrain ifiom framing peace terms, especially on Trieste, which the Italian Republic would be unable to accept,” says Reuter’s Rome correspondent. “The resolution read: 'The Government, interpreting the sentiments of the whole nation and the Constituent Assembly, draws attention to the anxiety of the Italians of Trieste, Western Istria, and all Venezia Giulia, and pressingly invites the Foreign Ministers not to take decisions which the new Italian democracy simply could not accept.’ “The Italian newspapers, which are pointing a gloomy picture of the prospective Italian peace treaty, abound with suggestions that Italy should refuse to sign such a treaty as the Big Four are reported to be drafting. “Various papers representing all political parties declare it is impossible for Italy to agree to the renunciation of colonies.” The diplomatic correspondent of the •Evening Standard’* says the calling of the Peace Conference of 21 nations in Paris next month is now virtually certain. It is considered probable that the Russians will now agree to a compromise on the subject of Italian reparations. and although the future status of Trieste is still the conference’s

thorniest problem, Mr Molotov is likely to agree with Mr Bevin’s proposal that the port and the surrounding hinterland shall be administered by the United Nations. ‘‘Once the Trieste problem is eliminated, only two points remain on the agenda regarding the Italian draft treaty,” adds the correspondent. They are the Austrian-Italian frontier, and the limitation of the Italian Navy, including the question of how two Littoria class cruisers are to be distributed among the Big Three. “If the Ministers find it possible to solve the riddle of Trieste, something like 100 per cent, success will attach to this week’s meetings,” says the “Da../ Express.” “Mr Molotov has made many concessions, but there is speculation whether this spirit of accommodation is intended to pave the way for a compromise over Trieste or whether it is intended to clear the ground for a last-ditch stand. On this matter Mr Bevin, with his Cabinet’s backing, is not prepared to agree to any drastic plan under which both the port and town of Trieste, with the surrounding area, will become a United Nations State under international control.” A Russian spokesman on Friday night suggested that at the present rate of progress it should be possible to call the full Peace Conference on August 1, even if that meant the postponement of the meeting of the United Nations General Assembly for a week. The Soviet delegation had come to Paris determined to make the conference a success and to fix the date for the Peace Conference. The Soviet delegation had a definite feeling that “things were going well.” Its view was that even i'f the Russians did not obtain all they wanted, a compromise would be much better than a new deadlock.