BRITAIN AND SOVIET

Hokitika Guardian, 2 August 1929, Page 5

BRITAIN AND SOVIET

INTERCHANGE OF VIEWS. FURTHER PROGRESS HELD UP. (British Official Wireless.) (Received this day at 10.30. a.m.) RUGBY, Aug. 1. A communique issued by the Foreign Office, states that the conversations, which began in London on July 29th. between Mr A. Henderson (Foreign Secretary), and M. Dovgalevsky (Soviet representative in Paris) on the subject of the resumption of diplomatic relations between Great Britain and Russia, will not be continued for the present. Dovgalevsky returned to Paris this morning'. The communique explains that in his original invitation, Mr Henderson made it clear that it was the desire of the- British Government to resume regular relations with the Government o. the Union of Socialist Soviet Republics and that responsible representatives of the latter would be welcomed with ;a view to the discussion of a most expeditious procedure for a settlement of an outstand ng question, including debts and propaganda. Though the reply of the Soviet Government to this .invitation was somewhat ambiguous, it was presumed that in offering to send Dovgalevsky to London, the Soviet Government had authorised him to discuss procedure for settling outstanding questions on the lines proposed by Mr Henderson.

In their first interview Mr Henderson explained to Dovgalevsky' the lines on which the British Government wished to proceed, and that he was anx:qus to avail himself of the present Parliamentary recess in order to set up the necessary machinery for dealing with such outstanding questions as debt claims, trade etc. He felt sure that with goodwill on both sides sufficient progress might ue made to enable him on the reassembling of Parliament in October ,to report what had been achieved and that the principles on which a settlement could he worked out had been defined, and to request authority, even if complete settlements of all outstanding questions had not been reached, for the exchange of fully accredited Ambassadors between the two countries. The communique adds that the British Government adhere to their desire to resume normal relations with the Soviet Government and take note that the Soviet Government will consider the new proposals of the British Government at their next session. To the communique is appended the text of the original invitation to the Soviet Government to send, a represent tative to London. The invitation was in the fo lowing terms: “His Majesty’s Government in the united Kingdom have carefully considered the existing state of relations between - this country and the Union of Socialist Soviet Republics and are prepared to re-establish the normal machinery of diplomatic relations' between Great Britain and the Union ol Socialist Soviet Republics on the understanding that reciprocal rights and duties which international law recognizes as incumbent on States, in their uelatlions ‘with one another,, subsist between this country and the Union oi Socialist Soviet Republics, to send a responsible representative to London in order to discuss with the Foreign Secretary direct, the most expeditious procedure for reaching a's rapidly as possible friendly and mutually satisfactory settlement of outstanding questions between the two countries, including those relating to propaganda and debts.” , In the Note handed to Mr Henderson yesterday ,M. Dovgalevsky said: “The Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics have done everything on their side to facilitate reapproachment between the Union and Britain, and a resumption of normal diplomatic relations between the two countries. The fact, however, that' the British Secretary for Foreign Affairs had stated to M. Dovgalevsky (Soviet Ambassador to France) that it is impossible for the British Government to re-establish normal relations between the two countries before there is a solution of the questions outstanding between them, show's that the British Government do not desire, or are unable to bring about, a resumption of these relations. If such were not the case the British Government would not have proposed, as a preliminary condition for the re-estab-lishment of normal relations, the solution of questions so complicated and contentious as mutual claims and counter claims. This new circumstance, which was not foreshadowed by the Note from the British Government addressed to the People’s Commissariat for foreign affairs of 17th. July, requires a fresh examination of the question. For that reason the People’s Commissariat for Foreign Affairs finds itself compelled to ask for fresh instructions from, the Central "Executive Committee of the Union, which will consider the new proposals of the British Government at its next Parliamentarv session.