GUARANTEES GIVEN

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20026, 26 August 1939, Page 6

GUARANTEES GIVEN

COMMON STAND

BRITAIN AND POLAND CHECKING AGGRESSION TERMS OF NEW PACT DEFENSIVE A LTRANCE (British Official Wireless.) Reed. 1.10 p.m. RUGBY, Aug. 25. Referring to the Anglo-Polish agreement signed in London to-day, a Foreign Office statement says: “It is a source of lively satisfaction to both Governments that the negotiations for the present agreement have been so speedily and satisfactorily concluded." The .preamble explains that the agreement, .which consists of eight articles, arises out of the desire of the two parties to place on a .permanent basis collaboration resulting from the assurances of mutual assistance of a defensive character which they already have exchanged. The text of the first three articles which laid down the various circumstances in which the parties would come to each other’s assistance is: “(1) Should one of the contracting parties become ’ engaged in hostilities with a European Power in consequence of aggression by the latter against that contracting party, the other contracting party will at once give the contracting party engaged in hostilities all the support and assistance in its power.

“(2) The provisions of Article 1 will also apply in the event of any action by a European Power which -clearly threatened, directly or indirectly, the independence of one c-f the contracting parties, and was of such -a nature that the party in question considered it vital to resist it with its armed forces. Should one of the -contracting parties become engaged in hostilities with a European Power in consequence of action by that Power which -threatened the independence or neutrality of another European State in such a way as -to constitute a -clear menace to -the security of that contracting party, the provisions of Article 1 will apply, without prejudice, 'however, to the rights of o-ther European States concerned.

"(3) Should a European Power attempt to undermine the independence of -one of the contracting parties by processes o-f economic penetration, or in any other way, the contracting parties will support each other in. resistance to such attempt. Should the European Pc-wer concerned thereupon embark on hostilities against one of the contracting parties, the provisions of the article -will apply.” By Article 7, the contracting parties agree -that they will not conclude an armistice or a -treaty of peace exce-pl by mutual agreement.