THE WAR SITUATION.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 61, Issue 25, 9 November 1940, Page 8

THE WAR SITUATION.

REVIEW BY LORD HALIFAX. United Press Association.—Copyright.) LONDON,'November 6. Reviewing the international situation in the House of Lords, the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (Viscount Halifax) said that measures to assist Greece in defending herself against unwarranted aggressison by her rapacious neighbour had been taken and further measures were in hand.

The position- of - Y ugoslavia, which had been sufficiently difficult sinco the defection of France, had been made yet more delicate as a result of this latest Italian move. Geographically, Yugoslavia lay midway between Germany and Italy, and both these countries were attempting to take the fullest advantage of this situation. Morally occupied by Germany, Rumania was now on the highway to becoming physically occupied by Germany as well. The British Government appreciated the difficulties of Bulgaria’s situation and welcomed " the assurance of King Boris of the desire of all; Bulgarians to defend what constituted a very solid harrier against aggression. After a reference to the visit of the Secretary of State for War (Mr R. A. Eden), who had been able to assure His Majesty’s Government and the Egyptian Government, that nothing humanly, possible was , left undone to maintain the security of Egypt, the Suez Canal, arid i the Sudan, and second, as the opportunity offered to engage and strike at the Italian forces operating on the frontiers of those lands, Lord Halifax said that Herr Hitler was prosecuting his design of attempting to disintegz*ate the whole life and future of the French nation. Petain’s Difficulties.

Britain has not yet been fully informed of what had passed in Herr Hitler’s conversation with Marshal Petain and should, in the meantime, suspend judgment. Britain realised Marshal Petain’s difficulties. Ho hoped that by entering into a form of “collaboration” with Germany, a load of suffering might be eased. Britain could not believe that a Government headed by a man of honour like Marshal Petain would commit Franco to a course which would be a stab in the back to her former ally.

Lord Halifax revealed that Britain had repeatedly rejected suggestions from the enemy for an agreement at the expense of France.

It is reported from Athens that Major-General iGambier Perry, the British liaison officer at Greek headquarters, declined to detail possible British action, but he said that the expeditionary forces were completely sufficient to repel any attack. The Ankara newspaper “Ulus,” replying to Italian criticism that the Turkish press is not publishing Italian victories, points out that there are no victories to report. Beplyjng to the Italian claim that they are really fighting England, “Ulus” 1 states: “There were no British forces in Greece when the Italians attacked, but the British Expeditionary Force has been, in Egypt for a long time waiting for Marshal Graziani to attack. Italy wanted cheap victories at the expense of a small State.”—British Official Wireless.