AMERICA RECEIVES REPORTS

Chronicle (Levin), 14 March 1946, Page 5

AMERICA RECEIVES REPORTS

Received Tliursday, 12.15 a.m. , WASHINGTON, March 13. > The State Department issued a statement: "The department has, received reports to the eftect that ; during last week, additional Soviet armed forces and heavy military combat equipment have been mov-i ing southward from the direction oi the Soviet frontier through Tabriz. 1 toward Teheran and the eastern) border of Persia. This Government j has inquired of the Soviet Govern-. ment whether such movements i have taken place and if so, the rea- . sons for them." j The Note was sent several daysj ago, when the first report of troop j movement had reached Washing- j ton. Diplomatic authorities said the forces were reported to include tanks and cavalry in considerable ! strength, and expressed the opinion { that the development might con- J nect with Russian pressure on Tur- j key for the provinces of Kars and | Ardahan and for special control j rights of the Dardanelles. The New York Times' correspon- J dent in Washington said the Soviet operation is reported to be in the 1 form of three prongs, whose wcstward movement could point to the Turkish border or Persia, although the possibility was not dismissed of an encircling movement directed at scme other objective. The troops are reported to be within 25 miles of Teheran. Whatever its significance, the reinforcement of the Soviet forces

at a time when Britain and America have formally protested at the retention of Russian forces m Persia, is conceded here to be a most discouraging development. The issue far overshadows other immediate problems in America's foreign relations. Whether the United States will decide to take the issue to the Security Council may depend upon developments in the next few days. There is som# speculation whether the Leftist forces in Persia may attempt a coup d'etat to place in power a Government favourable to Moscow. According to reports from Teheran, Leftists prevented a quorum of mernbers from reaching the Persian Parliament, which •consequently dissolved. Washington authorities link this political situation to the reported reinforcement of the Soviet troops.