THE FAR EAST

Wairarapa Times-Age, 4 August 1939, Page 6

THE FAR EAST

LORD HALIFAX DEFINES BRITISH AIMS

STATE OF NEGOTIATIONS WITH RUSSIA.

PURSUIT OF ELUSIVE FORMULA.

(British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day. 12.25 p.m.) •RUGBY, August 3.

In his speech in the House of Lords, the Foreign Minister (Viscount Halifax) said Britain's Far Eastern policy was to endeavour to do two things—see whether Britain could assist in promoting a settlement fair to all the interests concerned and, from a more narrow point of view of interest of Britain, to work for such goodwill as would not impair its relations with China or Japan if such an impairment could be avoided.

Referring to America's denunciation of her commercial treaty with Japan, Lord Halifax said the question of any similar action by Britain would require most careful consideration and consultations with the Dominions. Turning to the Russian negotiations. Lord Halifax made it clear that the chief cause of delay in finally reaching an agreement, on the necessity of which both sides were convinced, was the question of the precise form to be given to the definition “indirect aggression” —“this elusive shadow” as he called it. The object was to find a formula to cover indirect aggression without encroaching on the independence or neutrality of other states. Concluding, Lord Halifax said: “On the eve of the adjournment for the recess, I cannot'encourage anyone to feel complacent about the international situation. That would not be in accordance with the facts and possibilities as we believe them to exist, today.” Lord Halifax said Britain had tried to make her position crystal clear and added that it only remained to be uni-; ted, to avoid exaggerated attention toj rumour and to be neither over-confi-dent nor too pessimistic.