As a step towards lasting Angio-Irish friendship, it is essential that the British people recognize the right of the Irish to determine not only. their form of government, but thelt relations with Britain. This declaration was made to-day by Mr. Eamon do Valera, President of the Executive Council of the Irish Free State, in an, interview with Reuter's political correspondent.
The question, Mr. de Valera continued, was whether" the British people were prepared to face that fundamental issue. "If the and an-nullles dispute is settled," ho stated, "we are prepared to make comprehensive trade agreements provided they do not interfere with the industrial development of Ireland.
"One of the tasks of the near future will be to make the Constitution conform to the wishes of the Trish people. Independent Irelanc will never allow Itself to be used as; 'a bao of attack against Great Britain it major Anglo-Irish questions are settled."
Mr. de Valera anticipated that there would be no difficulty in reach-in agreement concerning defences, We regard the uriily of Treland a the foundation of any real Anglo-Irish ce-operation," ho said. In complete settlement, some way must be found whereby the unity of the country can. be resumed, "If the inhabitants of Northern Ireland had been consulted, only one-third of the area would Aave shown an Unionist majority."
He concluded by stating that "every. thing depends on the attitude of the British Government. There has been no lack of good-will on the Irish.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.