ITALY AND BRITAIN

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 57, Issue 26, 10 November 1936, Page 5

ITALY AND BRITAIN

GENTLEMEN’S AGREEMENT. SIGNOR MUSSOLINI’S DESIRE. INTERESTS IN MEDITERRANEAN. (United Press Association —Copyright.) LONDON, November 8. “I want a gentlemen’s agreement with England,” said Signor Mussolini, using English words, replying to Mr G. Ward Price, special correspondent of the “Daily Mail” who, in an exclusive interview, sought II Duce s reaction to the speech of the British Foreign Secretary (Mr R. A. Eden) in the House of Commons on November 5. Mr Price asked whether Signor Mussolini sought an agreement defining British and Italian spheres of influence in the Mediterranean, or a non-agression pact. Signor Mussolini swept away these ideas with a wave of his hand, replying: “Such things only lead to fresh complications. Ido not. want to aggravate the pact mania which has been raging. I contemplate a solution in as simple and clear a form as possible, suiting Fascist Italy’s psychology and equally congenial to the British temperament. “British and Italian interests in the Mediterranean are not antagonistic, hut complementary. Neither nation can afford hostility therein. The agreement should be bilateral, reciprocally protecting those interests, and also •completely reassuring the other states bordering the Mediterranean. The finding of such a formula should not be difficult but a necessary prelude to it is the new atmosphere now coming into existence justifying the belief that a new page is being turned in the relations of Italy and Britain.” Mr Price said that although the traditional British goodwill toward Itaiy was reasserting itself" many people were uneasy about Italian plans in the Mediterranean, some believing in the existence of a secret understanding between Signor Mussolini and Gene-al Franco, whereby Majorca would be transferred to Italy as a naval base in recognition of Italian sympathy jn Die Spanish civil war. Signor Mussolini declared: “The Majorca suggestion has not entered the threshold of our minds. Indeed, I would not respect a leader of a natijualist movement who‘considered tor a moment the possibility of giving away the country’s territory.” The Rome correspondent of 'The Times” emphasises that there is better feeling toward Britain because of the commercial treaty, the British withdrawal of troops from Addis Ababa, and fuller and accurate versions of Mr Eden’s speech.