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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIII, 3 August 1929, Page 7

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ANGLO-RUSSIAN NEGOTIATIONS

FOR RESUMPTION OF RELATIONS

NOTE FROM SOVIET

(British Official Wireless) RUGBY, Ist July

A communique issued by Hi© Foreign Office states that the conversations which began in. Loudon on 29th July between Mr Henderson, Foreign Secretary, and M. Dovgalevsky, Soviet representative in Pans, on the subject of the resumption of diplomatic relations between Great Britain and Russia will nut he continued for the present. M. Dovgalevsky returned to Paris this morning. 1 The communique explains that in his original invitation Mr Henderson made it clear that it was the desire of tho British Government to resume regular relations with the Government of the Union of the Socialist Soviet Republic, and that d responsible, representative of the latter would be welcomed with a view to tho discussion of expeditious procedure for a settlement of outstanding questions, including debts and propaganda. Though the reply of the .Soviet Government to Ibis invitation was somewhat ambiguous, it was presumed that in ofering to send M. 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 M. Dovgalevsky the lines oil which the British Government wished to proceed and that he was anxious to avail himself of the present Parliamentary recess in order to set up the necessary machinery for dealing with such outstanding* questions as debts claims, trade, etc. He felt sure that with goodwill on both sides sufficient progress might be made to enable him, on the reassembling of Parliament in October, to report what had been achieved, that the principles on which a settlement could'be 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 adheres to its desire to resume normal relations with the Soviet Government, and that tho Soviet Government will consider the hew proprosals of the British Government at its next session. 5 %

To the communique is appended the text of the original invitation to the Soviet Government to send a representative to London. The invitation was in the following terms;—“His Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom has carefully considered the existing state of relations between this country and tho Union of Socialist Soviet Republics and is prepared to. re-establish the normal machinery of diplomatic relations between Great Britain and the Union of Socialist Soviet Republics on the understanding that the reciprocal rights and duties which international law recognises as incumbent on States in their relations with one another subsist between this country and the Union of Socialist Soviet Republics. To this end His Majesty’s Government invites the Government of Union of 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, as rapidly as possible, a friendly and mutually satisfactory settlement "of the outstanding questions between the two countries, including these, relating to propaganda and debts.” y In- a note handed to Mr Henderson yesterday M. Dovgalevsky said; “The Government of the Union of Soviet I'loyiajjist Republics )jias done everything on its side to facilitate a rapprochement between tho Union and Britain, and the resumption of normal diplomatic, relations between the two countries. The fact, however, that,the British Secretary for Foreign Affairs has stated-to M. Dovgalevsky, Soviet Ambassador to France, that it is- impossible for the British Government to re-estab-lish normal relations between the two countries before a solution of questions outstanding between them, shows that the British Government does not desire or is unable to bring about the resumption of these relations. If such were not the case the British Government would not have proposed as a preliminary condition for the re-establishment of normal relations the solution of questions so complicated and contentions 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 fresh examination of the question. For that reason the People’s Commissariat fen 1 Foreign Affairs' finds itself compelled to ash for fresh instructions from the praesidium of the Central Executive Committee of the Union, which will consider the new proposals of the British Government at its next parliamentary session.”