1938-08-18 — Page 7

VITAL NEGOTIATIONS OPEN IN PRAGUE

Sudetens Have Long Talk With Govt. Leaders

Ready To Continue As Long As Accord Hope Remains

Prague, To-day.

-PARTITION

PLAN DENIAL

London, To-day.

Official quarters have issued a sharp denial of the report pu- bilshed in London's newspapers about the alleged intention of the Government to abandon the plan' for a threefold partition of Pales tine.

It is pointed out that the Wood- hend Committee has not yet con- cluded its labours-Trans-Ocean.

and contrary views. You regard yourselves as a people that have the sole claim to conduct state affairs, and to furnish leaders. You accord to other ethnic groups. subordinate positions only and hence you look upon the Sudeten Germans merely as a minority. On the other hand, we desire and de mand a State construction which will not threat us as a minority. Negotiations between the Sudeten Germans and

We want the German ethnic group to be definitely recognised as a Dr. Hodza and the Political Committee of the

completely equal partner of the Cabinet, opened at 4.00 p.m. and was still in

Czech people and its political and legal equality to be assumed." progress at 6.30 p.m., yesterday.

"Although our conversation with

In this connection, Dr. Kundt The Sudeten German attitude is that while they do the Government has shown that the mentioned that the Government. not accept the Government's minority propo- outset of the talks, we are proposal to give full legality to cleavage remains the same as at had rejected the Sudeten German sals, they do not close the door to further nego-nevertheless still prepared to dis- the bodies elected by the Sudeten tiations.

cuss how to solve the Nationality German group. It is understood that Dr. Franke and Dr. Sramek problem and thereby to overcome MAJORITY DECISIONS

the crisis facing this country, by "Your proposals", he emphasiz were not present at the meeting, by pre- having recourse to a practical re-ed. "would result in the retention arrangement, but their absence is significant organisation of the State on the and strengthening of your domina- in view of the fact that they have hitherto led basis of the eight Karlsbad de- tion through the channel of major- Opposition in the Cabinet.

ernment.

noon's meeting,

went to

•

some

mands of Konrad Henlein.

lity decisions, even though the pro- COMMON PLATFORM.

cess did bear the title of the es- "After a lengthy resume of for-tablishment of self-administration. The Sudeten Germans declare: It is semi-officially stated that mer conferences, Dr. Kundt declar- We do not go to the extent of de- "Firstly, that the Government's the conversations between the ed that the Sudeten German Party manding a destruction of the Cen- proposals are inadequate; second-Sudeten German Leaders and Lord is willing to include represent.

tral Government." · ly, they object to the presence Runciman have had a happy resultatives of Government Parties in He went on to declare, "now do of Members of the Parliament-and that the tone and presentation the negotiations although it was we insist upon abolition of the im- ary Committee at meetings be- of their case had been considerable formerly agreed to exclude them. portant central authorities, but we tween themselves and the Gov-modified so discussions could be Analysing the differences between do demand such legislative mea-

held calmly and objectively.

the attitude of the Government and sures as will guarantee National Dr. Kundt, during this after- The situation of the Government the Sudeten German Party, the groups a voice in the Central Par

is stronger than ever and if is thus speaker emphasised that agreement liament and representation in State length in reviewing the Govern-possible to take up a more favour-upon a common platform must be offices.

What you propose is merely a camouflage for self-administration. the We believe, he declared, that be-You see in- Czech supremacy cause of its composition, Czecho- very being and vital law of this slovakia can never become a nation Republic, whereas we regard such in the strict sense of the word, but a situation as unprincipled and im- must remain a State of National-practical, and as a source of con- ities and must develop accordingly, stant menace to the peace in Cen- The principle of equal right to all tral Europe,

CO-OPERATION OFFER peoples and groups is not actually

Instead of domination, we desire recognised in the pressent Nation- alities Statute, nor is a correspond-practical well regulated co-opera- ing revision of State organisation tion between the groups which com- pose this State, whereas you, on the

certain Sudeten achieved before negotiations ment's proposals and repeated the able attitude to view expressed in the Sudeten Ger-German conditions which had, hit-details can begin. man memorandum that the Czech herto, been regarded as being out- Government's conception of the side the scope of the discussions. State was a Czech National State, whereas, according to Sudeten German conception, it should be a State of Nationalities with equal rights for all.

on

DR. KUNDT'S ASSURANCE Dr. Kundt, in the course of his speech, declared that the Sudeten Germans were prepared to continue the talks as long as there was a Dr. Kundt paid tribute to the chance of reaching an agreed solu- conciliatory spirit shown by Dr. tion, or until it was clear that their Hodza, but claimed that the Gov-efforts had failed.

He declared the hegemony of the ernment's proposals did not meet the wishes and claims advanced by Czechs was immoral and a perman-proposed.

The only step in this direction contrary, do not wish even to re- Herr Konrad Henlein

his ent danger to European peace. in

Reuter.

is the reference to the principle of cognise the non-Czech peoples as Karlsbad speech.

Dr. Kundt stressed the import-

TO MEET AGAIN

proportionality which has inciden constitutionally qualified groups in

ance of first reaching an agree

Prague, To-day.

tally hitherto not been applied. the structure of the Státe.”

Criticizing the proposed lan- ment on the questions of prin- At the close of yesterday's meet-Twenty years of experience have ciples, whereafter, he said, the de-ing it was arranged that Dr. Kundt revealed, that this principle has guages Law, Dr. Kundt pointed out tails would solve themselves. and Dr. Hodza should meet on Fri- not advanced beyond the theore-that, except for minor changes, it

tical stage.

does not differ from the existing day to fix a date for the next meet-

THREAT TO PEACE

law and merely endorses domina- ing.

Declaring that the internal sit-tion of the Czech language. According to an unconfirmed re-

uation as result of the friction be- Proposal of the Government that port, Herr Henlein and Lord Runci-tween the different national groups consideration of economic, social man will meet in the near future has developed into a threat to and financial affairs should be European peace, Dr. Kundt assert-made over to a special committee, ed that the proposals of the Prague was then dealt with.

"This Committee," he said, "can- Government represent no deviation from the position formerly main-not handle these matters as long STATEMENT tained by it and cannot be regarded as we fail to agree on the main is-

WIDE GULF

Although the result of the nego- tiations so far had shown that a wide gulf still existed, they were prepared to discuss how to achieve Reuter. reconstruction of the State on & basis of the eight points in Herr Konrad Henlein's speech.

Dr. Kundt further expressed the hoped that there would be an at- tempt to display a little good-will towards the Sudeten Germans in a public and convincing manner.

OFFICIAL

DR. KUNDT'S

suggestë

Premier

..

by the Crach

own

was proposing

autonomy which the way for Czech draft

SITE VIEWS majorities to be created in each

The Government proposals in

as a concession to the minorities.sues.” The statement by Prague, To-day, They merely constitute a codific The attitude of the Sudetention of the existing principles ·

Gover At the same time, Dr. Kundt German Party towards the pro- the warned the Government that the posals of the Czechoslovak Govern- grees and patience of the Sudeten: German ment for settling the Nationality which population was not as great as issue in Czechoslovakia was ex-cond

Cor plained in full detail by Dr. that of their delegation. Reuter.

Kundt when members of the Cze-the Gover

territo choslovak Government metré-sort presentatives of the Sudeten Ger- would pave. man Party yesterday afternoon,

Following this lengthy declara- district. Against this the Sudeten tion, it was thought in political German Party was demanding au-fact, stand in diametrical opposi- circles that the Sudeten German tonomy for the districts marked tion to our draft and to our views with regard to a solution of the na- the Party had broken off the negotia: out on an ethnical basis.

tionality issue. For this reason, it Communique issued after meeting states there was general tions. agreement with regard to the de This interpretation was sharply "It is quite obvious" declared is all the more important in

partial issues, sirability of reaching common ac refuted by the Sudeten Germans, Dr. Kundt, "that at this point the tempting to reach agreement, to cord for a fundamental settlement, who pointed to Dr. Kundt's voon-Government's proposals and ours discuss. no certain

(Continued on Page 18) and adds that the negotiations will cluding statement, in which he are unbridgeable because they are but the difference in outlook and

sald;

based on entirely different facts be continued.

COMMUNIQUE

Prague, To-day.

**** EQUAL PARTNERSHIP