SUDETEN DEMANDS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 27 July 1938, Page 5

SUDETEN DEMANDS

FULL AUTONOMY WANTED NEGOTIATIONS IN PRAGUE NEXT WEEK. ATTITUDE OF THE CZECH LEADERS. By Telegraph—Press Association. Copyright. LONDON, July 26. The main negotiations between the Czechoslovak Government and the Sudeten Germans are expected to begin in Prague next week, probably in the presence of Lord Runciman. says “The Times.” M. Benes, President of Czechoslovakia, and Dr Hodza, Prime Minister, have informed the British Government that they are prepared to go to the full limit oT the advice that Lord Runciman may give—so long as the sovereignty of'the Czechoslovak State is safeguarded. Meanwhile Herr Henlein, in an interview with the “Daily Telegraph’s” correspondent at Eger: “I absolutely rule out war as a means of solving the Sudeten problem. There will be no war as far as we are concerned. We do no’ want homes converted into battlefields.” Nevertheless, Herr Henlein could not deny that serious internal disorders would be likely if a settlement were much longer delayed. “We do not ask for annexation to Germany,” Herr Henlein continued. “We are not opposed to the Czech State, but we are definitely opposed to the oppression exercised by the existing regime. We resent being treated like Africans subject to alien overseers. “I repeat that nothing short of full autonomy will be acceptable to us. We are prepared to leave defence and foreign affairs in the hands of the central Government, but everything else must be left to the autonomous nationality groups.” VISCOUNT RUNCIMAN’S POSITION. STATEMENT BY PREMIER. (Recd This Day, 9.50 a.m.) LONDON, July 26. The Prime Minister, Mr Neville Chamberlain, in the House of Commons said that, as the result of a request from Czechoslovakia, Viscount Runciman had agreed to go to Prague, to mediate, independently of all Governments, including the British, and in no sense as an arbitrator. Britain had urged the. Czechs to submit their proposals to Herr Henlein before submitting them to Parliament.