FOREIGN AFFAIRS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIII, 23 July 1929, Page 5

FOREIGN AFFAIRS

Mr Henderson. Foreign Secretary, replying to a question in the House of Commons, confirmed the. statement thai' as a result of communications received from the United States Government on Saturday, the British Government, sent an intimation both to the United States Government and to the French Government that it associated itself with them in all efforts they were making to secure a pacific settlement between the Soviet Government of Russia and the Chinese Government.

Mr Henderson was asked whether there would be an undertaking that thero would be no diplomatic relations with'either of those powers if the Kellogg Pact was not kept. He replied : "I thjnk to give a commitment like that in i view, of the fact that ft has not been decided which of the two countries is at fault, would not be in the interests of peace." The Foreign Secretary stated that no reply had yet been received from the Soviet Government in answer to his invitation to them to appoint a responsible representative to visit London. Mr Henderson was asked whether the Government was. bound by an undertaking given by the late Government in reward to the 'proposed commission of verification and conciliation in connection with the evacuation of the Rhineland. He replied that His Majesty's Government, as well as the French, German, Belgian, Italian and Japanese Governments, were committed by a decision taken at Geneva last September to the principle of the proposed commission. The composition; operations, object and duration of the commission were, however, matters which would form the subject of negotiations. On those points His Majcstv's Government had not committed itself, and did not propose to commit itself until the conference met. The meeting place of the forthcoming conference on reparations was still under consideration between the 'Governments concerned. Mr Henderson -stated that he hoped a definite decision was now imminent. Asked whether the Government was prepared to treat the question of evacuation, of the Rhineland independently of the question of reparations, Mr Henderson said the Government, retained complete liberty to withdraw British troo-ns, if and when it seemed expedient to do so. •• • , . . Asked whether British mediation had been offered in the boundary trouble between Bulgaria and Jugo-Slavia, Mr Henderson Staled Hint the British Government and the French Government were offering friendly advice, both at BcWadfi and at Sofia, with a view to facilitating direct negotiations between the Governments concerned. BRITAIN'S INVITATION TO RUSSIA (United Press Association— By Electric Telegraph-Copyrisht) (Australian i'reas Association. —united oerrics) (Received 23rd Julv, noon) .: BERLIN,-22nd July. ,Thc Moscow correspondent of the "Berliner Tageblatt" learns that the Soviet is not accepting the British proposal to send a delegation to discuss conditions for the resumption of diplomatic relations without a definite declaration from Britain in regard thereto.