Brothers in Arms (121 page)

Read Brothers in Arms Online

Authors: Odd Arne Westad

Tags: #Political Science, #International Relations, #General, #test

Stalin: That is, you agree to declare the legal continuation of the current agreement, while, in effect, allowing appropriate changes to take place.

 

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Mao Zedong: We must act so as to take into account the interests of both sides, China and the Soviet Union.
Stalin: True. We believe that the agreement concerning Port Arthur is not equitable.
Mao Zedong: But changing this agreement goes against the decisions of the Yalta Conference?!
Stalin: True, it does and to hell with it! Once we have taken up the position that the treaties must be changed, we must go all the way. It is true that for us this entails certain inconveniences, and we will have to struggle against the Americans. But we are already reconciled to that.
Mao Zedong: This question worries us only because it may have undesirable consequences for the USSR.
Stalin: As you know, we made the current agreement during the war with Japan. We did not know that Jiang Jieshi would be toppled. We acted under the premise that the presence of our troops in Port Arthur would be in the interests of Soviet Union and democracy in China.
Mao Zedong: The matter is clear.

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