MOMENTOUS EVENT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 6 December 1943, Page 3

MOMENTOUS EVENT

CONFERENCE WITH STALIN AT TERERAN VITAL DECISIONS ANTICIPATED I TO SPEED FINAL ASSAULT ON GERMANY. TURKEY AND THE BALKANS. LONDON, December 4. The Moscow radio reported, yesterday that a conference between President Roosevelt, Mr Churchill, and Marshal Stalin occurred several days ago at Teheran, capital of Persia. Diplomatic and military representatives participated in the conference, which discussed questions concerning the conduct of the war against Germany and also a number of political questions. Decisions which were taken relating to these matters will be published later. The Press Association’s diplomatic writer, commenting on the Teheran conference, says it is one of the most momentous events of the war and of history. It demolishes all hopes the enemy may possess of a negotiated peace. The heads of the three Governments have now put their seal upon measures for shortening the war against Germany, which will undoubtedly include unification and synchronisation of the final assault at many points by land, sea and air against Hitler’s European fortress. It is believed that M. Molotov, Mr Eden and British Foreign Office officials attended for participation in the political discussions, the correspondent says. No doubt the conference considered Turkey’s entry into the war, which is now increasingly possible.

Following the long series of conferences in which nearly all the military leaders of the United Nations have been engaged, it is generally expected that an announcement will be made of the appointment of a commander-in-chief of operations against Germany in western Europe. Mr Churchill is expected to make a full statement on his conferences in North Africa and Teheran in the forthcoming debate in the House of Commons on the war situation. The Turkish overseas radio has quoted a message from Cairo stating that the Teheran talks dealt with the opening of a campaign in the Balkans.