Proceedings of the Brest-Litovsk Peace Conference: the peace ...

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8 PROCEEDINGS OP THE BEEST-LITOVSK OONFEBENOE.
2. Note to the Embassies at Peteogead.
[From the (British) Daily Review of the Foreign Press, 26 November, 1917,
p. 199.]
The following note was sent (22 November) to the Foreign Embassies
at Petrograd
Monsieur I'Ambassadeur.
I have the honour to announce that the Congress of Councils of
Workmen's, Soldiers', and Peasants' Delegates of All the Russias
instituted on 8 November a new Government of the Republic of all
the Russias.
Having been appointed Commissary of Foreign Affairs in this
Government, I beg to call to the attention of your Excellency the following
words, which have been approved by the Congress of the
Delegates of the Councils, and contain proposals for a truce and for
a democratic peace without annexation and without ind:emnities,
based on the principle of the independence of nations, and of their
right to determine the nature of their own development themselves.
I have the honour to suggest that you should consider this document
in the light of an official proposal for an immediate truce upon all
the fronts, and to take immediate steps to set on foot negotiations
for peace. The Government, in the name of the Republic of All the
Russias, is addressing the same proposal to all the nations and their
Governments. Pray accept the assurance of the most perfect respect
on the part of the Government of the Councils towards the people
of France, which still keeps aloof from peace aspirations, as well as
to all other nations who are drained of their blood and exhausted by
the prolonged carnage.
(Signed) L. Trotsky.
Peteogead, Nov. 22.
3. Meeting of 27 Novembee, 1917.
[From the (British) Daily Review of the Foreign Press, 1 December, 1917,
p. 240.]
A message from Petrograd (Nov. 29) states officially that negotiations
with the Germans for an armistice have begun.
Three delegates crossed the German lines on the 5th [Dvinsk]
Army's sector on the afternoon of Nov. 27, and the preliminaries
were entered upon. The next meeting between Extremist representatives
and the German General Staff will take place on December 2.
Meanwhile the Extremists' Conunander in Chief, Krilenko, has
ordered the Armies to cease operations, to remain on guard, and not
to fraternize, but to await results. The editor of Pravda says that
" without doubt the prohibition of fraternizing refers only to unorganized
attempts."
Krilenko returned to Petrograd on Nov. 29 to report to the Extremist
" Government." 1