MR BEVIN DENIES SLAV CHARGES

Chronicle (Levin), 9 October 1946, Page 5

MR BEVIN DENIES SLAV CHARGES

Press Assn.

BRITAIN AND AMERICA HAVE N0 STRATEGIC 1NTERESTS IN TR1ESTE

By Telegraph

-Covyright

Received Wednesday, 11.50 a.m. PARIS, October 8. When the Paris conference met this afternoon, Mr. Bevin denied the Slav charges that Britain and America were trying to build a military base in Europe by making Trieste an international settlement, rather than giving it outright to Yugoslavia.

"We have no strategic interests in Trieste, and hope that these unfounded allegations will not be repeated," said Mr. Bevin. "Trieste is one of the prime disputes in the peace making. We believe that if the economic aspect is taken into proper account, and the intense nationalistic agitation ceased, the agreement may prove one of the best pieces of work achieved in the treaty making effort." Mr. Bevin told the conference that it could not be said this time that the peace conference and the world were not in possession of the full facts. After terrible disappoint-

ments between the two wars, and with differing philosophies in the world, it was quite understandable that there should be clashes of opinion. In the war the Allies, with the great forces of the enemy arrayed against them, were able to reach agreement for the purposes of self preservation. In peace, however, there was no compulsion to agree. Mr. Bevin recalled the accusations and angry remarks hurled across the tables during the conference, and said: "We will not be ! judged by those accusations, but by ■the final settlement for peace which we prepare."