RUSSIAN POLICY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 1 December 1939, Page 5

RUSSIAN POLICY

DENIAL THAT ANNEXATION IS INTENDED OR VIOLATION OF FINNISH INDEPENDENCE. M MOLOTOVS BROADCAST. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. MOSCOW, November 29. In the broadcast reported in part yesterday the Soviet Prime Minister (M Molotov) said:— “The Soviet will no longer tolerate the present situation, for which the Finnish Government is fully responsible. “The recall of our diplomatic representatives and the readiness of our armed forces is not an attempt to violate Finnish independence and annex territory. We have no such intention. “If the Finnish attitude had been friendly the Soviet would have made territorial concessions and favourably considered a reunion of the Karelians with the Finns in a united, independent Finnish nation. "We regard Finland as an independent sovereign State, whatever her regime, but a solution of the urgent problems could not be conditional on the bad faith of the present Finnish leaders. The Soviet must solve the matter in friendly co-operation with the Finnish people. Safeguarding of Leningrad is the only way to reopen friendly Soviet-Finnish relations.” M. Molotov’s statement that had Finland been conciliatory Russia would have favourably considered the reunion of Finns and Karelians, refers to a Soviet Republic. Karelia, which borders the central part of the Finnish eastern frontier. It is an area of hills, marshes and lakes (about 2500 of them), sparsely populated with Russians and Karelians in the proportion of about five to four. The Karelians, whose name is supposed to mean "cow-herd." are closely related to the Finns. Their .language is a Russianised-Finnish dialect. They are smaller and more neatly proportioned than the Finns, but live in a primitive rural manner. Economically the territory is not worth much. It hardly produces enough for its own needs, although its timber industry is growing gradually and has economic possibilities. GRIEF IN NORWAY SYMPATHY WITH FINLAND. STUDENTS DEMONSTRATE. (Received This Day. 10.20 a.m.) OSLO. November 30. Grief and indignation is evident throughout Norway as the result of the Russian invaion of Finland. Students marched to the Finnish Legation and demonstrated in sympathy.