PROPOSALS TO RUSSIA

Wairarapa Times-Age, 11 May 1939, Page 8

PROPOSALS TO RUSSIA

ACTION WITH DEMOCRACIES AGAINST AGGRESSION Mr Chamberlain Defines British Standpoint NO DESIRE THAT SOVIET SHOULD INTERVENE UNAIDED ASSURANCE GIVEN TO AMBASSADOR (■British Official Wireless.) (Received This Dav, 12.25 pan.) RUGBY, May 10. Replying to a question by Mr C. R. Attlee (Leader of the Opposition), with reference to a statement issued in. Moscow concerning British and Russian Exchanges, the Prime Minister (Mr Neville Chamberlain), in the House of Commons, said the statement in question seemed to be based upon some misunderstanding of the suggestions actually advanced by Britain to the Soviet. “As the 'House is aware,’’ Mr Chamberlain said, “Britain recently accepted a definite obligation in respect to certain ,Eastern European States. Britain undertook these obligations without inviting the Soviet to participate directly in. them, in view of certain difficulties to which, as the House is well aware, any'such suggestions would inevitably give rise. “Britain accordingly suggested to the Soviet that she should make on her own behalf a declaration of a similar effect to that already made by Britain, in the sense that in the event of Britain and' France being involved in hostilities in discharge of their own obligations thus accepted, the Soviet, on her.side, would express her readiness also to lend assistance if desired. “The Soviet almost simultaneously suggested a scheme, at ..once more comprehensive and more rigid, which, whatever other advantages it might present, must, in the view of Britain, raise Ihe very difficulties which Britain’s own proposals had been designecl to avoid. Britain accordingly pointed this out to the Soviet, and at the same time made certain modifications in the original British proposals. “in particular, Britain made it plain, that it was no part of her intention that the Soviet should commit herself to intervene irrespective of whether Britain and France had already, in the discharge of their obligations, done so. Britain also ' informed the Soviet that if the latter wished to make her own intervention contingent on that of Britain and France, the British Government, for its part, would have no objection. Lord Halifax yesterday saw M. Maisky’ who explained that the Soviet was still not clear whether, under Britain’s proposals, circumstances might not arise in which the Soviet would be committed to intervention unsupported by Britain or France. Lord Halifax assured M. Maisky that this definitely was not the intention of Britain’s proposal, and that if there was any room for doubt on this point he anticipated it could be removed without difficulty.”