Evening star., 1946-06-30
Ministers Postpone
Decision on Byrnes'
Peace Farley Demand
BY the Associoted Press

BY the Assoeioted Press
PARIS, June 20. - The four
power foreign ministers tonight
postponed a decision on a gen.
eral European peace conference
and pondered a new compromise
proposal on the disputed port OF
Trieste which French sources
said might break the conference
deadlock, but which American
quarters declared could not be
seriously considered.
The compromise Trieste plan. sub.
mitted by French Foreign Minister
Georges Bidault, calls for estab-
fishing Trieste as an autonomous
region under international guidance
for 10 years, French sources said
AT the end of that time, the Bic
Four would re-examine the prob
lem. making new decision if
deemed wise or referring tie mat
ter to the United Nations. Both
Italy and Yusoslavia have demanded
Trieste outright
French informants said Soviet
Foreign Minister v. M. Molotov ac-
cepted the Bidault proposal in
principle as a basis for discussion
with certain reservations. These
were that the autonomous regime
should be permanent instead of for
only 10 years and that other in
terested nations, such as Czecho-
slovakta. be represented on the gov
ernment board.
Americans who attended the
meeting, however, described the
plan as too complicated and added
that it would solve nothing. They
insisted that no indication had been
gwen that any of the ministers
would accept the plan. British in
formants said only that their group
was studying" it.
Enunciates L. S. Policy.
In a session lasting more than
four hours, the ministers reached
no agreement on Secretary of State
Byrnes demands to call the 81
nation peace parley. and postponed
action over the week end, Ameri-
can informants said. Mr.. Byrnes
declared yesterday he wanted a
straight yes or no" answer from
the ministers today.
American sources said Mr.. Byrnes.
IN effect, enunciated the United
States foreign policy when he listed
the reasons for calling a general
peace conference soon, and then
called for vote on holding a con-
ference
Both Mr.. Bidault and British For
elgn Secretary Ernest Bevin voted
afhrmatively. Mr.. Molotov voted
no.
Mr. Byrnes, 1t was said. then re-
marked that the world now knows
where the veto stands.
Mr.. Molotov replied. the Ameri-
can informants said. that he might
be able to make a decision concern
ing peace conference in two or
three days
The council then adjourned until
Monday and the agenda for that
day includes the question of Italian
colonies, Trieste, the peace confer
ence, and German problems.
Danube Commerce Discussed.
In todavs session. the ministers
discussed freedom of commerce on
the Danube River. Italian repara-
tlons, units of the Italian Navy to
be included in Italian reparations
and the countries to which they
would be awarded.
In outlining his demands for. a
peace conference. Mr.. Byrnes said
the American view at the Potsdam
conference was that the then pro-
posed Foreign Ministers Council was
to be instructed to make and not
obstruct, peace. The ministers were
to do the spade work on peace
treaties. and not provided the
finished product for other nations
to rubber stamp with their approval.
Conditions last September DELAYED
the start of the preliminary work
on the conference, but during the
Moscow conference, American
sources quoted Mr.. Byrnes as saying,
the representatives of 81 nations
were informed they would be invited
10 peace conference on May l.
1916, when it was expected that
the preparation of treaty drafts
would be completed.
May l meant May l, Mr.. Byrnes
was quoted as declaring, but the 21
nations have been waiting for an
invitation since that time, and the
United States was becoming un-
happy over the situation. In fact.
Byrnes said, his country no longer
was willing to remain in that
situation.
Debate Extremely Bitter.
French sources said the Byrnes-
Molotov debate on the peace confer
ence was conducted on extremely
bitter terms.
Mr.. Byrnes asked that Mr.. BIZ
dault. as host minister, be empow-
cred to invite the nations to
pShSC tlOI ldICl tlldll
July 20. Previously Mr.. Byrnes had
asked that the conference be con-
voked beginning on July Is.
If the conference is not held by
July 20, Mr.. Byrnes said, the par
ticipating governments will not
have time to send representatives
before the United Nations General
Assembly meets in September.
The American secretary put di-
rectly to Mr.. Molotov the question
of what, specifically. had to be dis
cussed by the ministers before a
conference date could be set, but
Mr.. Molotov did not answer.
French sources said Mr.. Bidault
sought to turn the heated debate
aside by raising the question of
Mondays agenda.
Red Cross Issues Warning