London, Feb. 2.
'The first stage of the' talks be. tween British and French statesmen on the situation in Europe was com~ pleted yesterday in an atmosphere of the ittmost secrecy on both sides.
Tt is understood that the discus sion ranged through the whole field of disarmament, security and air problems, The conversations continued in the afternoon and, afler the statesmen who had taken pert bad separated, the following communique was sued:
"Mr. Ramsay MacDonald, Mr. Stanley Baldwin, Sir John Simon and Mr, Anthony Eden met M. Flandin, Prime Minister of France, and M. Laval, -French Minister for Foreign Affairs at No, 10 Downing-street today.
"Two meetings were devoted to general examination of the principal Questions of Buropean policy.
"The Ministers will continue the examination of these different prob-ems at their next meeting, which 1s Axed for to-morrow afternoon to enable private conversations to take place in the morning.
"They were glad to note the spirit friendly confidence in which the exchange of views was undertaken {and is beng pursued."—Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.