THE PEACE NEGOTIATIONS.

Hokitika Guardian, 21 January 1918, Page 1

THE PEACE NEGOTIATIONS.

THE .GERMAN ACCOUNT

rAUSTRALIAN & N.Z. CABLE ' ASSOCIATION & REUTER. ]

LONDON January 18

Wireless German message.—A report from Brest litovsk says that a private meeting between Count Czerin and the 'Ukrainians on January 16th settled in principle the future of the political relations between the Central Powers and the Ukraine.

Trotsky at Monday’s sitting of the Austro-German-Russian . Commission > took a note of von Kuhlmann’s declaration that territorial negotiations rested exclusively on the political will of. the German Government.

Trotsky denied that his Government outlawed anyone differing from it, and added that when. Eoumania resorted to force on Russian territory against the revolutionary soldiers, and workmen, he and hi.s fellow delegates would recommend file Retrograd Government to arrest the Ambassador and Staff Tfe was informed that this was already done .

Von Kuhlmaun emphasised that TTortling had issued instructions regarding the whole field of foreign policy. There was no divergence between von Kulilmann’s and Hoffman’s conceptions. The fundamental differ-; enco, between the Centrals and the Russian delegates was that the Centrals wishes to see an orderly State arising in these regions without break or vjiolcnt. transition. They opposed the idea of creating a: vacuum, and allowing the establishment of a State within that vacuum. Trotsky denied that the withdrawal of ’Army occupation would create a vacuum. The peoples of Poland, Lithuania, and Courland would in nowise find themselves in a different political situation if the Army was withdrawn. Finally, at von Kuhlmarin's instance it was ifgreed to dsenss the four Russian points seriatim.

A misrepresentation

LONDON January 20

A wireless Russian message states. Trotsky’s proclamation accuses the Germans of misrepresenting the Brest Litovsk proceedings with the intontou of mi si on dug the German pubic.

PEACE DISCUSSIONS

GERMAN EVASION

(Received Yesterday at 11.10. p.ni.) LONDON January I*o

An Admiralty wireless says it Russian report from Brest Litovsk states that Herr Kuhlmann indicated that Germany is willing to organise not later than a year after the general peace, an extensive consultation of the peoples of Poland, Lithuania, and Courland for self-determination.

Trotsky urged that the date depend on the peace on the eastern front, not a general peace. ' lvuhlrnan'n, lifter several attempts at, evasion declared that Germany could not undertake any obligtion to recall the army in occupation. another report. ■ (Received Yesterday at 11 10. p.m.) LONDON January 1!). A German report of the separate negotiations with the Centrals and Ekian-. iaiis states the results achieved justify the hope of «a satisfactory conclusion.