Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1922-04-18
CE RNAN- RUSSIAN
PACT SIGNED At
RAJ ALLO SUNDAY
BreSt- Litovsk Treaty Multi
fled; Full Diplomatic Re-
lationS Re-eStablished on
An Equality Basis.

Genoa, April II (ry the Associ-
ated Press IA treaty between
Germany and Russia was signed at
Rapallo yesterday. the signatories
being the foreign ministers of the
two countries, George Chitcherin
for Russia and DR.. Walter Rath-
enau for Germany. The treaty
nullifies the Brest-Litovsk treaty
and re-esta blishs full diplomatic re-
lations on an equality basis.
The pact cancels a.. war claims
as well as claims arising from the
naturalization of property.
The treaty negotiations began
many months ago. it was said. This
action by delegates to the Genoa
economic conference in meeting in
dependently and negotiating a trea-
ty outside the scope of the confer
ence itself, is pointed to as estab-
fishing a striking precedent for the
nations who are participating in
the discussion of the Russian prob
lens here.
In connection with mutual renun-
citation of naturalization of prop
erty claims and war claims. the
treaty expressed the friendly hope
that other powers would do like
wise.
Announcement of the signing of
the treaty came as a rather rude
surprise to the Genoa conferees
and it was pointed to by observers
as likely to make more difficult the
position OF some of the other allies
in their attitude toward Russia.
By the new treaty, replacing the
Brest- Litovsk pact, which has been
so humiltating to the soviet lead
ers, Germany is the first great
power to grant Russia full recog-
milton. Poland and the Baltic
states have long had diplomatic re-
lations with the soviet government,
but Germany has been withholding
recognition because of failure to
obtain satisfaction of the claims
for the murder of Count Mierbach,
who was assassinated in Moscow
in 1918, when he went there as
German ambassador under the
terms of the Brest-Litoysk treaty.
Although negotiations between
Germany and Russia have been in
progress for some months on varl-
Gus subjects, mostly relating to
trade matters there has been no
intimations that the signing OF a
formal treaty superseding the his
toric Brest- Litovsk pact of early
1918 was contemplated by the
Observation-Disclosures of the two ma
tons at Genoa. The countries had
previously made a trade agreement
which became effective nearly d
year ago.
The body of Brest-Litovsk was
a sequel to the armistice between
Germany and Russia signed at that
place on December IA, 1917, fol-
lowing the rise of the bolsheviki
to power in Russia. Peace nego-
tiations were begun between RUS
STA and Germany in 1918 but de-
mands OF the central powers were
considered excessive by Russia,
which refused to concede them.
The next move by Russia was to
announce on February 10 that she
had withdrawn from the war
without signing a peace and had
ordered Immediately denobiliza-
Of the troops on all fronts. This
maneuver did not satisfy the Ger
mans, however. Declaring the wa
still was on they renewed thei"
invasion of Russia but this was
speedily cut short by a declaration
by the Russian government that ii
accepted the terms formerly de-
clined and the signing at Brest-Li-
tovsk on March 3 of the treaty
now superseded.
AS indicated, these terms wera
virtually dictated by the centra!
powers. Although war indemni-
ties were renowned, Russia agreed
to resign all claims to Finland and
Esthonia, Livonia, Courland, Lith-
uania, Russian Poland and the
Ukraine. to return all the Anato-
liam provinces to Turkey, and to
evacuate Russian Armenia.
This treaty was effective, so far
as it's continuing provisions were
concerned. however, only so long
as Germany remained in the war.
With her defeat, Germany, in the
treaty of Versailles, agreed to ac-
cept the abrogation of the Brest-
Litovsk and all other treaties en-
tered into with the maximilist gov
eminent of Russia, to recognize
the full force of all treaties en-
tered into by the allied and assoc
ciated powers. with states which
were a part of the former Russian
empire, and to recognize the from
tiers as determined therein. 1t
was added that the powers re-
served the right of Russia to OBJ
tain restitution and reparation on
the principles Of the Versailles