SOVIET KEEPS UP PRESSURE

Chronicle (Levin), 3 April 1946, Page 5

SOVIET KEEPS UP PRESSURE

CONCESSIONS FROM PERSIA Received Tuesday, 10.50 p.m. NEW YORK, April 2. Official information Teaching the State Department continues to indicate | that the Russians are keeping up the I pressure on the Persians for political 4. and economic concessions in Northern I Persia, states the, Wasfilngton corresi pondent of the New York Times. One j oiricial despatch indicates that Russia i gave the Prime Minister (Mr. Ghavam j dultaneh) an aide-memoire several days ; aS°, suggesting the possibility that the I Persian Government might wish to rej tain some Red. Army troops in North- | ern Persia, and saymg tfiat tne Soviet j troops would get out of Persffi in five j or six weeks, out it did not add, as did ; che Russian official announcement, that j tney would leave "if nothing unforeI seen happens. ' ' j The aide-memoire is reported to hav.e j said that the Russian evacuation would I be compieted in five or six weens, "proI vided no agreement to the contrary is reached." This is the first indication i soviet documents that they are ; actualiy negotiatmg to keep troops in ! Northern Persia. i Official reports indicate that Russia ! has asked Persia for two things. ! Pirstly, it seeks recognition of tne j aucomonous pro-Soviet .azerbaijan Gov-. ernment; secondly, on concessions in j JNonmern Persia. Mr. Sultaneh indi- ( cated some willingness.to maxe limited j concessions on tnese two points, but j evidenciy he rejected suggastions, nrsi-iy, to allow part of the Red Army to re.xiain in Persia, secondly, that tne ■azeroaijan Government snouid be aliowed to have its own autonomous secunty organisation; thirdly, that the i rcussians snouid receive " oil conces- ' j sions" near tne Torkish border, wnere : no oil is K.iiovvn to exist. ! The Persian Prime Minister 's uni quaiirted support of Mr. Hussein Ala j was coupiecl with renewed mdications j tnat Britain and America wiii insist ' ' upon over-nding proceclaral objections ! ! to hear -the suostance of Persia 's com- j | p.vint against Russia in the a jsence oi" |a satisiactory Russian reply at Wed-! ! nesday's meeting of tlie Becurity Coun- ! | on, says tne ew y orK Times. Mr. j | duitauen's message also left no duuut cnat he wafitk tM ' be'cttrity 001111011 td' proceed witn tne nearing of Persia 's oompiaint despite tne Soviet pressure ior deiay untn April 10. PUNDAMENTaL ISSUE RAISED I Those lamiliar with the British and! Amercan position emphasised that Lon- ! don and Washington leit that Russia 's ! ooit irom the council, even though eoiinned to r ersia's uiscussion, raises a fundamentai issue whicn United Na- 1 tions cannot ignore. They concede tnat I grave proeedurai issues are raised by ' u,ny atiempt to investigate the dispute : in the absence from the Council of ! Russia, which as a pennanent member { nas a veto power. As the British and Americans see it, the persian complamt

raises the issue of treaty vioiations by a great Power in its reiations to smailer nations irom whom economic and poli oicai advantages are sought. such a cnarge, tney leel, must be heard by o'nited Nations, even if the big Power Aeels it inconvenient to have such compiaints aired openly. The British feel that the Russian withdrawai from Persia must be unconditional and complete, and that steps ■ snouid be taken to ensure that useabie military material is not left behind by che Russians fco provide armament for uissident Persian eiements. The New York Herald-Tribune says that a high Soviet source reported that i Mr. Gromyko (the Soviet Ambassador) j has not received a reply from Moscow I on the Persian question and has not ; received any new instructions. A spokesman for the American Embassy at Teneran said that reports from Tabriz indicated that the Russian army hacl made "ostentatious" preparations to evacuate Tabriz. .He said that aetual mcvements of material could be observed, but equipment and vehicles were being concentrated for evacuation. A Persian official stated that the Russians had witiidrawn all check posts between Teheran and a point immediately south of Tabriz.