RUSSIA WORRIED OVER ITALY

Chronicle (Levin), 18 June 1946, Page 5

RUSSIA WORRIED OVER ITALY

TIIREAT TO SCUTTLE FLEET POSSIBLE CAUSE, LOXDOX, .June Ifi. This, aecording to the Moseow radio, (juoting tlie Paris correspoiHlent oi T-ass. is the ext of whai Mr. Molotov told tlie Foreign Ministers when he sjirang a surju'ise deniand for ihe inclusion of the Italian jiolitical silualion 011 the agenda yesterday: — "Certain ohligations lie 011 the AIlied I'owers which signed tlie annis1i.ee with 1 1 a ly. As far back as Odoher, 1 hd.'i, Britain, Anierica, Knssia aini pr.'ince issueil a declaration that the Allied policy regarding Italv shouhl he hascd on the fundaniental jirinciplc that Fascisni and all its inllueiices akd seijuencps must lie entirelv deslroyco nnd the Italians granted full ojiporlunity to estij-hlish governmental and other inst itutions hased 011 tlie princijdes of demoeraey. "This jiolicy was reflecied in tlie armistice tenns and also fjnaily in tioParis Protocol 011 -May J'i, in which the Balian Government undertook to snowhy a free olection an exjiression of Ihe jieople regarding a deniocratic forin of government. The fact tliat this jirolocol was ratilied hy Britain, Anierica Knssia and France further eniphasiscs tlie resjioiisihjlitv of the four (lovern iiients for tlie politu-al silualion in Ttaly. A Tass correspondent comnicnts timi tlie presenco of British and Aniericne troops did not prevent pro-Fascist elc nients from organising and adojiting a eour.se of op.en actions ainied at check ing the freely exjiressed will of ihe people, and adds that another Kussian jiroposal which, like the foregoing, inet British and American ohjections, was Mr. ^Tolotov's jiroposal tliat the Italian , (Jovernmeut should he invited to exI jiress an opinjon on economic cjuestions. iThe solution of certain econoniic ques j tions concerning the " Italian peace , treatv, niade slow progress liecause Britain and Anierica jirojiosed far reaching ohligations 011 Ttaly, the size whereof could not he precisely calculated. Tliose claims were the tnie reason j for the difliculties. A warning has reached Ihe Foreign Ministers tliat in certain circumstanc.'s [tlie Italians mav attemjit to scuttlc jwhat rernains of their fleet rather thnn • allow it to lie handed over for divisiou among the Allies. Special instructions thave lieen issued to British and American conimanders in Italv. Were tln; ships scuttled there rnight he awkward repercussions, particularlv in ^roseow. for Kussia is verv interested in the disposal of the Italian warshijis. The jilot was discovered some davs ago hut it is j not yet possihle to decide how serious ! was the intention heliind it. U is [tliouglit it liiight he the final flingM'o!jlowing TTmherto's departure, of Moa ' archists who feel their dignitv is heing unnecessarily hurt hy tlie peace treaty discussions at Paris, and tliat they ari* heing asked to pav too heavv a jiric* for their unliajipy and, in some cases junwilling part in the wai*. Therefore they would like to make a gesture like the Bcapa Flow scuttling. , ■