SOME OPTIMISM

Wairarapa Times-Age, 4 August 1939, Page 5

SOME OPTIMISM

REGARDING DISCUSSIONS IN MOSCOW QUESTIONS IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS. VIEWS & INTERESTS OF OTHER STATES. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY. August. 2. A Press telegram states that, today's negotiations between Britain, Hranee and Russia lasted an hour and a quarter, and Hie atmosphere al Hie end is described as optimistic. It is generally believed in well-in-formed circles in Moscow that the conversations covered the formulation of the agenda for the forthcoming stall talks and a further attempt to establish a mutually agreeable definition of indirect aggression. It is understood that British and French military, naval and air missions to Moscow will travel by sea, leaving England on Saturday or Sunday. At question time in the House of Commons today the Foreign Undersecretary, Mr R. A. Butler, recalled the statement of the Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Lord Halifax, at a meeting of the League Council in May that Britain would propose to take an appropriate opportunity for communicating to the League the result of the negotiations upon which Britain was engaged in connection with European security and which were in strict conformity with the spirit of the Covenant.

Mr Butler declared that was still the Government's intention, but he declined to accept the suggestion of a member that the British delegation to the League Assembly should table a resolution on the subject. • Mr Butler was asked if his attention had been drawn to a speech on Saturday by tile Swedish Foreign Minister, Mr Sandler, in which he said that Swedish interests would be seriously affected if agreements were arrived at by great Powers which conflicted with the avowed principle of the northern countries not to let themselves be objects of combinations in Power politics, and if he would bear this Swedish attitude in mind when considering the conclusion of an Anglo-Soviet Pact in addition to the views already expressed by representatives of Finland and other Baltic States. Mr Butler replied that he had seen reports on the subject. He added: “As the House has already been informed, Britain is taking into account the views and interests of other States. I may add that there is no question of imposing a guarantee on these States or making them objects of combinations, in Power politics. But, as has become apparent in the course of the present negotiations, violation of the independence or neutrality of any one of these States would be a matter of vital interest to the three Governments concerned.” MILITARY MISSIONS (Received This Day, 9.10 a.m.) PARIS, August 3. It is officially stated that the French military mission is going to London tomorrow, in order to confer with the British mission. Both are going to Moscow by sea from an English port on Saturday.