GERMAN PRISONERS HELD IN RUSSIA

Rotorua Morning Post, Issue 5311, 25 January 1947, Page 5

GERMAN PRISONERS HELD IN RUSSIA

BERLIN, January 24. Stating that it is estimated that the Soviet Union still holds 3,000,000 German waxvprisoners, a high military Govexmment olficial in Bexdin said the Americans will ask the Russians, at a meeting- of the Foreign Ministers' Council in Moscow, in March,-to speed up their return. The United States has already asked France, who holds 620, '000 Germans, to try to repatriate them by Oetober 1. America now holds pnly 59,000 in Europe and they are expected to be x-eleased by, Jnly 1. Britain, according to Amex-ican Ligures, still holds about 4'00, 000 - Germans, and is returning them at the rate of il5,000 a month, "which is as many as the tralfic facilities will allow." Rejecticn by France A Washington message says that France, by ixxxplication, has rejecte'd the United States reqtiest that the 620,000 Gex'maxx prisoners of war should 'be returned without delay. Fx-ance counter-proposed that a third party be asked to prepare a longrange repatriation plan. France has explained that xxxanpower s'horttages preclude an early return of the German prisoners. The United States is concerned because the prisoners wex-e captured by United States forees and transferred to France for custody.