PACIFIC ISLANDS TRUSTEESHIP

Rotorua Morning Post, Issue 5323, 8 February 1947, Page 5

PACIFIC ISLANDS TRUSTEESHIP

(Press Assn. — J

t american1 proposal time not considered RIPE FOR TRANSFER 5

r Rec. 9.30 p.m.)

LONDON, Feb. 7. Diseussions are in progress between the British and United States Governments concerning United States proposals for trusteeship of Japanese mandated islahds in the Facific, but no formal British Note of protest has been sent to the United States, says Reuter's. No official British statement is likely to be made before the United States proposals come before the Seeurity Council. Britain, Australia and Russia have deelined to approve at present the United States proposal f'or an American trusteeship over Japanese-niandated islands in the Pacific, says the New Yorkf Times Washington eorrespc-ndeirt, as quoted in an earlier report from New York. The three countries stated that the United States proposal should not be considered until the Japanese peace settlement. None of thern objected to the United States continuing to c-ccupy the islands nor did they indicate any opposition in principle to the United States as the administering Power under the United Nations trusteeship system. The correspondent says that these observations. by three Powers who are also members of the Seeurity Council will almost certainly prevent the United States' tei-ms c-f trusteeship being accepted at this stage. The proposals would have to be approved by seven of the 11 yfnembers of the Seeurity Council, including the Soviet Union, Britain, France and Cbina.. The British point out certain iegal difficulties which some American officials also recognise. The main difficulty is that .until there is a peace settlement with Japan under which a recognised Japanese Gcvernment abandons all claims to the islands, it is difficult to have a clear title to them. The British are in • military eccupation of a former Italian colony just as the Americans are in military occupation of the Japanese islands. The political situation in Africa, l-owever, is kuch that" the British evidently consider that a settlement of the Italian colonial question at this timo wouid not be advisable. Therefore, thev are not too eager to see the Pacific Islands question vstablished as :i precedent. The British, Australian and Soviet opinions were made known in ve'sponse to an American request for their cc-mments on the proposed terms of trusteeship for the islands. These terms, published in November, declared the entire region containing most of the Marshalls and Marianas a "strategic area" under United States administration. They would give the United States rights praetically equivalent to annexation. United States officials are not disturbed, the correspondent says, by the opinions expressed. America ijitends to remain in the islands and the only result will be tb postpone the legal transfer for at least a year or two.