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Show SOVIET PRESS I HINTS DEMAND" UPONFINLAND Army and Navy Bases in Baltic Nations Seen asRussAim By WITT HANCOCK MOSCOW, Oct. 3 (AP) A strong hint that soviet Russia is preparing to make demands for military and naval bases upon Finland as well as the smaller Baltic states was given today in the government newspaper news-paper Izvestia, which gave the first intimation of Russia's decision de-cision to march into Poland last month. The newspaper, tracing relations of the soviet! with Finland, Estonia Es-tonia and Latvia since 19. said "Aggressive European countries that concealed themselves under the mask of 'peace loving have tried to convert these countries Into their vassals and Into a sone of operations for completion of their aggressive plans In the basin of the Baltic sea." - Agreement AmlM Izvestia in another article said an agreement ' between Sweden and Finland upon fortification of the Finnish-owned Aaland islands in the Baltic this year was concluded con-cluded "without any legal grounds and was not planned for the pacification pacifi-cation of the Baltic basin and the security of sea borders of adjacent adja-cent countries." Russia opposed the Scandinavian proposal to fortify the strategic islands, holding it was a threat to Russia's position in the Baltic and Gulf of Finland. The islands command com-mand the entrances of the Gulf of Bothnia and the Gulf of Finland into the Baltic. Many observers believed Russia was preparing to demand from Finland a share in control of the islands. Llth Leader Arrlvre This latest campaign for more concessions In the Baltic sea opened while the Latvian and Turkish foreign ministers were here and Lithuania's foreign minister, minis-ter, Juozas Urbsys, arrived by air during the evening. Izvestla's article ar-ticle failed to mention Lithuania, but that country was expected to receive demands along with Latvia and similar to those made upon Estonia. Conversations with Latvln Foreign For-eign Minuter William Munters began be-gan last night. Finland and the Baltic states were Russian prior to the World war, but the Finns bad a large measure of autonomy. Observers felt that the Finns, bitterly anti- (OwttnuM on Pmff Two (Column 1U) (FINLAND BASES SOUGHTBYREDS Coatlaa4 rraa ran On.) soviet, might put up more of an argument to soviet demands- than the smaller Baltic states. Finland Denies Beperts Reports that Finland had received re-ceived an Invitation to send an envoy to Moscow were authoritatively authorita-tively denied In Helsinki. Izvestia said The 'peace loving countries'," apparently referring to Britain and France, had seized control of the markets of Finland, Estonia and Latvia for "economic exploitation." Izvestia charged these countries were trying to "block up" the soviet navy in a "Finnish swamp," meaning the gulf of Finland, and prevent the soviet fleet from having hav-ing access to the Baltic. Izvestia called on other Baltic countries to follow the "worthy example" of Estonia, asserting the "red bannered Baltic navy Is receiving re-ceiving strong strategical position that are not only guaranteeing defense de-fense of the entry to the Finnish and Riga gulfs, but the possibility of active operations In the Baltic against any possible aggressors and violators of peace as well." Germany was not mentioned, but foreign observers were convinced the soviet moves were directed aawinat any Guinea thnaH Into the Baltic as well as against Britain Brit-ain and France. The possibility of diplomatic moves aiiecung the situation in the Black sea hovered in the background, back-ground, meanwhile as Turkey's foreign minister, Sukru Saracoglu, remained in Moscow for further conferences at the kremlln. |