FINNISH NON-AGGRESSION PACT

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20107, 29 November 1939, Page 5

FINNISH NON-AGGRESSION PACT

GRIM ORDER GIVEN TO BORDER FORCES

ANSWER TO “PROVOCATIVE” ARTILLERY

HELSINKI REJECTION OF PROTEST

(Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (Reed. Nov. 29. 10.50 a.m.) LONDON, Nov. 28. The Moscow correspondent of the British United Press says that the Soviet Prime •Minister and Foreign Minister, M. Molotov, told the Finnish Minister that the Soviet intended to renounce the Soviet-Finnish non-aggression pact because 1 he Finnish foreign policy was “inconsistent with the pact.” The Moscow radio announces that the pact has already been cancelled.

The staff of the Leningrad military district has issued an order stating: “In connection with provocative artillery fire upon our troops from Finland, Soviet .troops arc ordered to return the fire in the event of repeated Finnish provocations until those who started the shooting are annihilated.”

The President .of the Finnish National Defence Council, Field-Marshal Mannerheim, after a tour of the frontier, declared in Helsinki to-day that the Finnish heavy artillery was nl least 31 miles from the Soviet border. Offer of Withdrawal

The Helsinki correspondent of the British United Press says that the Finnish reply to the note from M. Molotov, demanding, after the alleged firing of seven shells across the frontier by Finnish troops on Monday, the withdrawal of Finnish troops in the Karelian isthmus to a distance of 12 and a-half miles from the border, offers to withdraw the Finnish troops from the frontier provided Russia does so in equal proportion and distance. It suggests that the matter should he handed over; to a frontier commission and adds: “An accident may have occurred on the Russian side, but no inimical act was directed against the Soviet by Finnish forces.” The denial is supported by the log of the frontier guards before they knew about the controversy, recording seven shots and a number of hand grenade explosions on the Russian side of the border. The exact times and an estimate of the

positions are given

The Finnish reply says tl Finnish side, “therefore Fink protest. The Finnish Governr the Soviet Government- does n is believed, was a frontier inci able to remove the misunderst; of the Soviet note.”

hat no shots were fired on the and. must reject the Soviet’s nent notes with satisfaction that iot wish to exaggerate what, it ident. Finland is pleased to he Hiding the day after the receipt