What Does Czech Mission To Moscow Portend?

Chronicle (Levin), 11 December 1948, Page 5

What Does Czech Mission To Moscow Portend?

Reeeived Fri'dav, 3.50 p.m. LONDON, Dee. 10. In a massage to the Glasgow Herald from Prague, Alexander Werth (the well-known Kuropean eorresporident) says there is no reason to believe that th'e despateh of a Gzeehoslovak mission to -Moseow portends anything more than a discussion on ways and means of inereasing coordinat ion between the Czech and Russian economies. There is no reason whatever 'to suppose, as has been suggested in some quarters, that the mission heralds a move to ineorporate Czeehoslovakia within the Soviet Union, 8 Mr. Werth poiuts out that the new Czeeh ' live-vear plan envisages transformiug Czeehoslovakia from a major produeer of consumei goods to a major produeer of eapital goods. As Russia is at present the largost buyer of Czeeh e.onsjuier goods and the largest single snpplier of food and raw materials to Czeehoslovakia, this proeess wih require considerable eoordination. It is also probable that Czeehoslovakia will endeavour to seeure sonio iinaneia! assistanee from the Soviet as slie is at present suffering from a shortage of both steriing and dollars. Mr. Werth says the Czechoslovak delegation will also diseuss with the Russians the, question of futtre poliey towards Yugoslavia. The present trade agreement between Yugoslavia and Czeehoslovakia expires at the end of this year, aua if it is deeided that as part of the Coniinl'orm poliey commereial relations between the two countries must be redueed the Czeehs will have to make a-rrangements to obtain food and other eommodities at present .supplied by Yugoslavia from elsewliere.