Troop Withdrawal from Manchoukuo Borders: M.
Litvinov Extends the Olive Branch to Japan Moscow, Mar. 18.
The possibility of an armed néutraln "agreement between Japan. and the Soviet Union along the Manchurian border was indicated to-day {na statement by M. Blaxim Litvinov, Soviet Commissar for Foreign Allaire "The statement intimated that Soviet and' Japanese troops may' be with= drawn specified distance from the border line it relations between the
non~aggression pact is signed.
countries improve, and especially Issued on the. occasion ofthe inltaling the pact transferring the Soviet Union's interest in. the Chi-reso Eastern Railway to Manchoukuo, he statement is designed to clear up the "status of several problems in "The favourable issue of the CER. negotiations has proved tha: with ffoodwill anda will to peace, even the: most complicated "questions be ween neighbours may be. solved Poscetully and to their mutual ad: Vantage," 3 Litvinow said Stituation Less Strained "tt would be quite normal if, concurrently wih' dimushing' the Strained" situation the Fat East Tesuling from the. lage four: years, Interested parties should start study quiet discussions on questions Feyarding the mutual removal to. 8 definite distance of a certain part of the armed forces of bath parties, hiding aviation. forces, with consi= Aeration to the. geographic situation of|each pany," He continued "Considering such placing of this question on the basis of discussion, 1 Sippose the sooner this problem' i Solved, the sooner the "danger of Aggression will be. removed "Tt would' be most important to obliterate in the Soviet Union all un= favourable impressions caused by the negative -atilude of. the. Japanese Government with "respect 0" the Soviet Government's proposal for on-nagreesion pact hope that the agreement regard ing the CER. and ite loyal fulfil ment by all parties concerned will rate the necensary_ atmosphere for Senceful end mutual solution of ell problems interesting. Japan and. the USSR a result, of the forthcoming transfer Jot the C.ER. to Manchoukuo.
"According. to. local repens' to-day, 'M, Stephen Kuznetsot, vice-president of the board of the C.E'R., will shortly bbe appointed Far Kastern representa tive of the Foreign Commissariat in [succession to M. Melinikov.
'The appointment, one of many con-Sdently predicted here, is said to be the first move towards the adoption of new Soviet policy in the Far East, Jas M. Melinikov and his colleague, 'Gen, Bluecher, the commander of the Soviet forees' in Siberia, are both Known to be exponents of the "iron first" in the treatment of Far Eastern problems.
The new policy of the Soviet is expected to be reciprocated by Man-Jehoukuo, which is reported to Be pro-Posing the establishment of consulates Moscow, Vladivostok, Harbarovsk Meanwhile, since Mar. 11, more than 1900 Russians have applied for Man-[choukuo nationality in order to obtain, employment in the C.ER—Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.