ANGLO-SOVIET TRADE PROBLEM

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 186, 3 May 1940, Page 9

ANGLO-SOVIET TRADE PROBLEM

Decision Remains Under Consideration I British Official Wireless) RUGBY, May 1. In the light of the information provided by the Soviet Ambassador when lie called at the Foreign Office a few days ago to convey the reply of his Government on trade questions, His Majesty’s Government is giving most careful consideration to whether a British and Russian trade agreement can be arrived at which will take into account the present war situation. The suggestion that any final decision has been reached is immature and has no authority. The latest Soviet communication is being studied in more than one department. When the Foreign Secretary, Lord Halifax, saw M. Maisky on April 19 he informed him that the British Government had considered the Soviet suggestion for a resumption of trade talks, and it was prepared to discuss in an exploratory manner whether a basis existed for a trade agreement, and he invited him to obtain from the Soviet concrete suggestions which took into account the conditions upon which the British Government had to insist in all war trade agreements—namely, guarantees in the matter of supplies reaching the enemy. In Parliament on April 10 the Undersecretary for Foreign Affairs, Mr. 11. A. Butler, stated that should trade negotiations be resumed with the Soviet, it would be made clear that Britain still condemned Russia's aggression against Finland.