AGAINST AGGRESSION

Wairarapa Times-Age, 22 April 1939, Page 7

AGAINST AGGRESSION

REPORTED RUSSIAN PLEDGE OF CO-OPERATION All Forces and Resources Without Reservation PROVIDED THERE ARE NO MORE MUNICH PACTS HOPE OF SAVING YUGOSLAVIA By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. LONDON, April 21. Important developments in. the Anglo-Russian talks were credibly reported in London last night. It is understood that the Soviet is submitting 1 constructive proposals to the British Government indicating that she is prepared to join Britain and France and other members-of the anti-aggression bloc on an all-in basis to resist any further forays by the axis Powers. The Soviet Foreign Minister, M. Litvinov, it is stated, submitted the proposals to the British Ambassador in Moscow, Sir William Seeds, who immediately passed them on to London where the Cabinet will consider them without delay. It is reported that Russia is prepared to pledge all her 1 forces and resources without reservation, but she must first be convinced beyond shadow of doubt that there will be no more Munich Pacts. The presence of Russia standing four-square in the grand alliance will cause certain ideological misgivings in some capitals, but almost without question it will swing the balance permanently to the side of the members of the anti-aggression bloc, and will probably save Yugoslavia from the armed embrace of the axis which at present is the apparent focal point of Italian and German diplomatic activity.

TALKS IN LONDON RUMANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER’S VISIT. ' REPORTED AGREEMENT WITH TURKEY. LONDON, April 21. Reports from Paris and Istanbul insist that Britain and France have reached an agreement with Turkey, but there has been no announcement on the matter in London. The Rumanian Foreign Minister, M. Gafencu, will arrive in London on Sunday evening, 'and the conversations with Lord Halifax will open on Monday morning, followed by a luncheon at the Foreign Office. In the afternoon M. Gafencu will have 1 a conversation with Mr Chamberlain at the House of Commons, and that evening he will be a guest at a dinner arranged by the British Council. The conversations will be continued at the Foreign Office on Tuesday, when the distinguished visitor will be the guest of the King at luncheon at Buckingham Palace. GUARANTEES WELCOMED. RELATIONS WITH THE REICH NOT AFFECTED. (Independent Cable Service.) (Received This Day, 9.25 a.m.) PARIS, April 21. The Rumanian Foreign Minister, M. Gafencu, in a statement, said the British and French guarantees in nowise affected Rumania’s relations with the Reich. Rumania welcomed all guarantees of her independence, but no twosided agreement would arise from them threatening any State. Rumania had no intention of aligning herself with any encirclement front against Germany nor did she wish for a bilateral agreement which for all practical purposes existed only on paper. ITALY & HUNGARY PLEDGE OF CO-OPERATION. DANUBIAN OBJECTIVES. ROME, April 21. An official communique issued here after the conclusion of the talks between Signor Mussolini and Count Ciano and the Hungarian Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Count Telek and Count Csaky, says: — “After closely examining questions of major importance concerning central and Danubian Europe, especially relations in the existing situation, the twp countries reaffirmed their mutual intention of directing their activity toward the objectives of justice and peace characterising the Berlin-Rome axis.”

AWKWARD QUESTIONS ADDRESSED BY GERMANY TO SMALL STATES DO THEY FEEL THEMSELVES THREATENED? LONDON, April 20. The Paris correspondent of “The Times” says that Germany is asking a- number of the smaller States mentioned in President Roosevelt's appeal whether they feel that they are threatened by Germany. It will be very difficult for them to reply officially in the affirmative, and if their replies are negative Herr Hitler would doubtless use them to discredit President Roosevelt in his speech in the Reichstag on April 28. SITUATION EASED REPORTED GERMAN OFFER TO POLAND. LONDON, April 21. • Official circles in Paris Consider that matters are a little easier following Signor Mussolini's speech. Mme. Tabouis, writing in the newspaper “I’Oeuvre,” says that Germany will offer Poland, in return for granting her current demands, exceptional privileges in Danzig, and the necessary access to the port of Gdynia in the corridor. Simultaneously the existing treaty of amity would be extended to include the corridor as Polish territory. ITALIAN AIMS DESIRE FOR FRIENDSHIP WITH YUGOSLAVIA. CIANO ON RECENT TALKS./ BELGRADE, April'2l. Tne Italian Foreign Minister, Count Ciano, in a newspaper interview today said that friendship with Yugoslavia remained a fundamental point of Italian policy. “After the talks between the Foreign Minister, M. Markovitch, and myself in Venice on Saturday, I expect that the ties binding the two countries will be considerably strengthened,” he added. MISSION TO BERLIN. YUGOSLAV FOREIGN MINISTER. (Received This Day, 10.35 a.m.) BELGRADE, April 21. M. Markovitch, Foreign Minister, is going to Berlin on April 25.