ESTONIAN PACT

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20056, 30 September 1939, Page 5

ESTONIAN PACT

RUSSIAN SWAY

PAINFUL DECISION

BIGGER CLAIMS AVOIDED

CONTROL OF COAST ZONE

TERM OF TEN YEARS

ECONOMIC AC REEMENT

(Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.)

(Reed. Sept. 30, 11 a.m.) LONDON, Sept. 29.

Messages from Moscow give the terms of a pact between Russia and Estonia as follows: (1) The countries agree to assist each other in event of direct aggression by any great European Power, either in 'the Baltic, or through Latvia.

(2) Russia undertakes to equip the Estonian Army. (3) Estonia will allow Russia to maintain naval and air bases in the islands of Oescl and Dagoe and in the town of Paldiski. The bases will remain Estonian territory. (4) The countries agree not to participate in any coalition against the other.

(5) The countries agree that the pact does not affect sovereign rights, economic systems and constitutions.

(6) The pact is to be effective within six days and will operate far 10 years.

Agreement in Trade

The Tass Agency announces that the Soviet Union and Estonia have signed a new trade agreement, A message from Tallinn states it is revealed that additional details of the Russian-Estonian pact include: (1) The total tv?d? ’''mover will he increased 4i times to £ 2,095,000. (2) Estonian railway trade will be admitted to Murmansk and also White Sea and Black Sea ports, Russia enjoying similar facilities in Estonia. (3) The Russo-Estonian peace treaty of 1920, whereby Russia recognised Estonia's independence and also the non-aggression pact of 1932, are still in force.

A report from Stockholm says it is understood that Russia got permission from Estonia to station 25,000 troops at Oesel and Dagoe for the duration of the war.

The Helsinki correspondent of the New York Times learns on excellent authority that the Estonian delegation to Moscow informed the Soviet Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, M. Molotov, that Estonia was prepared to accept at least some of the demands made by the Soviet. The painful decision was taken in the hope of avoiding still greater claims. Utterly Disbelieved The Estonian authorities utterly disbelieve the Soviet statement of the torpedoing of the steamer Metallist, asserting that it was a concoction 10 inflame Soviet opinion All sections in Estonia bitterly realise that Russia is taking advantage of the present European position to throw Estonia into the melting-pot, and they ruefully realise that help is nowhere forthcoming.

Finnish newspapers refrain from pointing out the seriousness of Estonia’s position, it being deemed apparently inopportune politically at this stage of the Baltic crisis to scrutinise the motives and methods of the two Great Powers chiefly concerned. Estonia’s fate and Estonia’s complete independence were considered to constitute one of the cornerstones of the peace policy of northern neutrals. These States have now received a rude shock which soon may have repercussions elsewhere in the Baltic.-

ATTACKED FROM AIR GERMAN NAVAL SHIPS BERLIN CLAIMS VICTORY (Reed. Sept. 30, 11 a.m.) LONDON, Sept. 29. The Ministry of Information, in a communique, states that units of the Royal Air Force carried out attacks to-day on ships of the German fleet in the Heligoland Bight. Despite formidable anti-aircraft fire, they pressed home the attacks at a low altitude. Some of our aircraft have not yet returned. According to a Berlin message, it was officially stated there, that six British planes, after attacking without success, flew away to the west. German fighters intercepted them, shooting down five after a short air battle.

The Press Association reports that British fighters from a number ot aerodromes yesterday contacted a squadron of German bombers who were trying to reach the Scottish coast and routed them. Not one bomber pierced the British dedeuces.

The Ministry of Information states that, in view of the reiterated German claims, the Admiralty re-affirm c that no damage was done to British warships and no casualties Were su)fored when they were attacked by 20 German planes in the North Sea on Wednesday.

The report of the hitting of a heavy cruiser presumably refers to an attempt by a German aircraft to bomb a destroyer in that area at 11.30 a.m. on Wednesday, but the attacker failed to score a hit or to cause damage. No cruiser has be m attacked in that locality.