Amity With Russia

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 857, 28 December 1929, Page 9

Amity With Russia

STRONGLY-WORDED TREATY

Friendly Tone of Protocol

EFFECT ON THE DOMINIONS

British Official

Received Noon. RUGBY, Friday. THE text is issued of the Notes exchanged on December 20, between the newly-appointed Russian Ambassador in London, M. Sokolnikoff, and Mr. Arthur Henderson, British Foreign Secretary, regarding propaganda. M. Sokolnikoff, in his Note, refers to clause 7 of the protocol signed on October 3 last by the Soviet Ambassador in Paris on behalf of the Soviet Government and by Mr. Henderson on behalf of the British Government, wherein both Governments engaged themselves to confirm the pledge regarding propaganda. He maintained that article 16 of the general treaty signed August 8, 1924, between the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and Great Britain repeats the terms of that article, which were as follow:

‘‘The contracting parties solemnly affirm their desire and intention to live in peace and amity with each other; scrupulously to respect the undoubted right of a State to order its own life, within its own jurisdiction, in its own way; to refrain and to restrain all persons and organisations under their direct or indirect control (including organisations in receipt of financial assistance from them) from any act, overt or covert, liable in any way whatsoever to endanger the tranquillity or prosperity of any part of the territory of the British Empire or the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, or intended to embitter relations of the British Empire or Union with their neighbours, or any other countries.” It was further agreed, he adds, that effect should be given to this clause of the aforesaid protocol not later than the day on which the respective ambassadors presented their credentials. LETTERS PRESENTED M. Sokolnikoff proceeds: “Having this day presented to his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales letters accrediting me as Ambassador of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics to his Majesty the King, I have the honour, by direction of the People’s Commissory for Foreign Affairs and on behalf of the Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, to confirm the undertaking contained in the article quoted above and to inform you that the Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics regards that undertaking as having full force and effect as between themselves and his Majesty’s Government of Great Britain and the Government of India.”

“I am instructed to add that the Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics will be happy to receive, iu accordance with clause 7 of the protocol of October 3, a corresponding declaration from his Majesty’s Government in- Great Britain and the Government of India.”

Mr. Henderson, in acknowledging

receipt of the Note, says, that in accordance with the understanding between his Government and the Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, as recorded in the protocol of October 3, his Majesty’s Ambassador in Moscow has been instructed to inform the Soviet Government that his Majesty’s Government and the Government of India, for its part, also regard the undertaking contained in article 16 of the treaty signed on August 8, 1924, as having full force and effect as between themselves and the Soviet Government. EFFECT ON DOMINIONS In a Note to the British Foreign Secretary, the Soviet Ambassador says the Soviet Government, in giving the undertaking contained in article 16 of the Treaty of 1924, and confirmed by the foregoing Notes, has considered that undertaking as extending also to the Uominion of Canada, the Commonwealth of Australia, the Uominion of New Zealand, the Union of South Africa, the Irish Free State and Newfoundland. Consequently, as soon as the Government of any Uominion shall have regulated their relations with the Soviet Government, in such a manner as circumstances of the particular case may require, the Soviet Government will bd ready to repeat, on the basis of reciprocity, the undertaking above referred to in a separate exchange of Notes with such Dominion.

Mr. Henderson states, in reply, that the attitude of the Soviet Government, as indicated in a verbal Note, is being communicated to his Majesty’s Governments in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, the Irish Free State and Newfoundland, at the instance of all these Governments. He declared that each of them will regard the undertaking contained in article 16 of the Treaty of 1924 as having full force and effect as between themselves and the Soviet Government. Notes similar to the first two were also exchanged in Moscow.