Persia's Appeal to Security Council

Chronicle (Levin), 23 March 1946, Page 5

Persia's Appeal to Security Council

Press Assn.-Cc

L1TTLE LIKELIHOOD OF CASE BEING DROPPED

By Telegraph

* i pyright

Received Friday, 11.15 p.m. NEW YORK, March 22; Writing in the New York Times, James Reston ' says that representatives of the leading States on the Security Council held' a series of private meetings in New York and reached general . agreement on the following points: — 1; The Council will "meet, as scheduled, on March 25. 2. Britain and America will insist on hearing at least a report on the Persian case. Before agreeing to postpone full discussion of the case, they want to know what it is they are being asked to postpone. 3. It is not likely that the Council will agree to. drop the Persian case after the preliminary hearihg, but if It did so, Russia would be asked to guarantee the present status quo in Persia for ' the duration of the negotiations and satisfy 'the Council that the negctiations were freely entered into by Persia.

A letter handed to the Press by the Fersian Ambassador (Mr. Hussein Ala) pointed out that the London Gomerence nad postponed a decision on the merita of the earlier dispute pending negotiaI tions between Russia and Persia. ' ' These negotiations f ailed, ' ' he addeu "Meanwhile, the date iixed by the tri . partite treaty passed. and tne ssoviei i troops were not withdrawn. The deiays thus far have permitted intensification of the critical conditions in my counti^ ! caused by the failure of the Soviet to I withdraw its troops. This state of ! aiiairs is very grave and further deiays i iuevitably result" in increased harm to ! the interests of Persia. ' ' The Persian Ambassador told a journalist that the latest Biussian com- ! munication expressed strong opposition to delaying the Security Council meet-f ing. He reiterated his belief that the dispute was "mpst urgent," meriting prompt consideration. The Associated Press says the Persian move is regarded as laying a firm basis for the United States and other members to insist on the hearing proceeding to schedule. The Assistant Secretary-General"" oi Dnited Nations (Mr. Benjamin Cohen; said Persia had sent a letter to the : Secretary-General (Mr. Trygve Lie; ' repiymj to Russia's request for post j , ponement of the Security Council meet, j ' ing. He said the contents of the j letter could not be made public befor«. to-morrow, because it was at presem, being circulated amoung members oi the Council. Mr. pohen declared that the Council would meet on March 25. The first | item for consideration would oe tlu ! provisional agenda. This included three items — the report of the, Rules Committee, tne report oi tne commi^cee on i-rocedufe and the Persian demand. President Truman declared that the meeting of United Nations Security Council on March 25 will not be postponed. He said that the United States.

will press for action on • the Persian case. - vA reporter asked what would happen if Itussia insisted on postpone.aeutj Mr. Truman replied that the questioner had better attend the meeting and Jinci out. Asked whether he favoured anothei meeting of the Big Three, Mr. Trunqari said: "No, because the united Natibus is supposed to deal with matters foriper ly discussed by the Big Three." ' The Soviet Ambassador Mr. Gromyko, , unexpectedly conferred with the Secrer tary of State, Mr. Byrnes, but later declined to reveal the subject discussecU He reiterated, however, that Russia believed the Persian case should be delayed because negotiations were under way btween Persia and Russia, These | were being carried on through diplo- 1 matic channels, and if the Security ! Council tcok any hasty action now itf would merely complicate the situaaou. "'Russia moved forces in Persia in accordance with the provisions of Article 6 of the 1921 Treaty giving Russia the right to do so as a measure of defence should Persia he turned into a war base for military attack against Russia, says Isvestia. The paper aads that Soviet forces were moved into Persia in Augusfc, 1941, months before the conclusio.1 of the treaty between Russ.a, Britain, andj Persia. Eritain also moved an army i into Persia, but formaliy established | the right to its presence there onlyj Later, when the tripartite treaty "was , signed. AU Persian State oihces were closed yesterday and Oiiicials politely declined to discuss political and military problems, says the Associated Press Teheran correspondent.' It was the first day of Persia's dight-day New Year celebrations. The Shah held a reception to Goverrimeut, army and religious Ieaders in the morning, while the Premier (Mr. Ghavam Sultaneh) held an 9>t j home in the Poreign Ministry for i friends in the evening.