FOREIGN MINISTERS’ DECISIONS

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24914, 29 June 1946, Page 7

FOREIGN MINISTERS’ DECISIONS

Dodecanese Islands

To Greece

FRENCH FRONTIER WITH

ITALY

(N.Z. Press Association— Copyright) (Rec. 8.45 p.m.) LONDON. June 27“The Foreign Ministers at their afternoon session agreed to return the Dodecanese Islands to Greece, accepted the-French poskZ regarding the French-Italian frontier quest.on. and 'agreed on the limitation of the Bulgarian Navy, and on the disposition of Rumanian foreign assets, says Reutei s.Pans pondent. “Senator Tom Connally, who is a member of Mr Byrnes’s delegation, said afterwards: We got along fine. got a lot of matters settled.’ “The Ministers also considered four points in the.Rnniaman treatv without reaching an agreement. They navigation on the Danube, the restoration of United property in Rumania, a general economic clause relating foreign civil aviation in Rumania, and a clause on pre-war multilateral aviation and shipping concessions. “Mr Molotov towards the eqd of the session said he had comnleted his studv of the Dodecanese problem and was prepared to agree that’the islands should return to Greece on condition that they were demilitarised. This was accepted unanimously. “After discussion on the Bulgarian and Rumanian treaties Mr Molotov brought up the question of the frontier He said he would accept the French demands for the plateau of Mont Cenis and the Tenda and Bnga areasi on condition that Italy continued to receive a share of hydro-eleeti ic power from the plants in those areas Mr Bvrnesi said tha had been the United States position all along. The Ministers then

approved the French claims.

Reuter’s correspondent says that the French claim to the Briga and Tenda region affects the Maritime Alps frontier, including the Tenda Pass which takes the railway line from Nice to Cuneo and thence to Turin. The French contended that Italy should not hold the western Slopes of the Alps dominating a large tract of French territory, but that the frontier should more nearly approximate to the watershed. The Tenda Poss is about five miles inside Italy from the present frontier. "Mr Molotov also announced that he was prepared to accept Mr Bevjn'e proposal that the Big Four should sign a declaration expressing their intention to keep the Danube free for ship--ping and committing the great Powers to lake the necessary steps to secure the adherence of the Danubian States to the principle of free navigation." adds the correspondent “Mr Molotov, however, insisted that the phrase ‘on the basis of complete equality' should be deleted from the declaration because it was an infringement of the rights of the Danubian States. Mr Bevin and Mr Byrnes both refused to accept the deletion. Mr Byrnes added that he would revert to his original position and insist on the inclusion of the clause in the Rumanian treaty stipulating freedom of the Danube. ‘The Ministers' decision about the Bulgarian navy involves its limitation to 7250 tons with a total strength of 3100. They agreed that Romanian foreign assets In United Nations territory should be used to settle the just claims of the United Nations and their nationals against Rumania and its nationals. Anv balance would be returned to Rumania. ‘The Ministers will meet again tomorrow to continue their discussion on the Balkan treaties and other un-

The Greek Prime Minister (Mr Tsaldaris) announced in Athens that the Italian Prime Minister (Mr de Gasperl) had informed him by letter that- Italv fully approved the return r>r the Dodecanese Islands to Greece. “The Italian Government and the neonle consider such a solution comoletelv conforms to the nrlncinles of justice on which the new Italian Republic Is based,” added Mr de Gasperi.