RUSSIAN ASSURANCE OF EVACUATION

Chronicle (Levin), 5 April 1946, Page 5

RUSSIAN ASSURANCE OF EVACUATION

Press Asi n.

"Great Moral Victory for United Nations" % '

\ By Telegraph

-Copyright

Received Thursday, 11.15 p.m. NiiiW YORK, April 4. Gomplete settlement of the Persian case at the Security Council meeting' today is predicted by United N'ations officials. Newspaper observers and American officials are reported to be confident that yesterday's deveiopment brought the crisis substantially to a close, and that the Secnnty Council survived with heightened prestige. The Associated Press states that while the indications were i that there was general recognition among members of the Council ; that a settlement was at liand, no hard and fast agreement on the j procedure to be followed today had been reached at the closed I session yesterday afternoon. Mr. Byrnes is considered likely to take ! the lead in proposing that the issue, in effect, be shelved, although 1 kept on the agenda, as was sought by Persia following an assurance i that the Russian troops would unconditionally evacuate Northern Persia within six weeks. !

If the Soviet representative on the Security Council would be willing to withdraw the condition of "unusual circumstances, ' ' which he had attached to the Russian troops' withdrawal, and give the Security Council an assurance of the withdrawal of all the Soviet forces from Persia by May 6 at the latest, Persia would be willing not to press for further consideration of the matter before the Security Council at the present time, provided the matter was retained on the agenda. This statement was made by the Persian Ambassador (Mr. Hussein Ala) during the discussion of Persia 's complaint by the Council today, in reply to the United States Secretary of State (Mr. Byrnes), who asked Mr. Ala what his suggestions were for future action. The Council had iust heard the Bussian and Persian replies to the request for further information on the dispute. The chairman (Dr. Quo Taichi) then adjourned the Council till today. The atmosphere of the morning's meeting on the whole was quiet. The spirit of excitement which was aroused because of the uncertainty whether Kussia would reply at all was eased when the Secretary General (Mr. Lie) announced that the Russian message had been received. Members generally agreed that substantial progress had been made. Russia did not snub the Council, but instead gaye the substance of the main information required. On the other hand, Persia 's reply in conjunction with Mr. Ala's statement, oii'ered a possible solution. The fierald-Tribime says that Mr. Ala's compromise oifer appeared to have been plannod in advance 'with the approval ' of at ieast Britain, America and China. The paper states that, although the deveiopment was not a complete - surprise, xt. came with dramatic suddenness after the reading of the Bussian and Persian messages, conilicted sha-rply'on the status, -and hannony of the private negotiations lor the evacuation of the Ited Army from Persia.

Mr. Gromyko, who during the week declined to discuss the Russian position before the Council, yesterday maintain- 1 ed another day of silence. He attended ' neither the open nor closed sessions, out listened to the broadcasts of the ' morning's session. Poland's representative, Mr. Lange, alone among the delegates hesitated in expressing confidence that the pfoblem would soon be resolved. The New York Times says Russia's assurance has proved decisive and unmistakable. The intention of most of the delegates is to accept the positive ' side of Moscow's reply at its 'face value and prepare the way for the Soviet again to take its place at the Council table. The Times describes the probable I settlement as a grea't moral victory for United Nations. It will give new assurances for the security of the small nations and pave the way for an amicabie solutioh of Middle East probiems, ! thereby helping to ease teusions among the big Powers which are delaying the return of real peace. "If this is a Russian retreat," the editorial adds, "then it is an honourable retreat, for which Russia deserves the greatest eredit."