JOINT NOTE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 236, 5 October 1937, Page 7

JOINT NOTE.

BRITAIN AND FRANCE.

Need of Foreign Withdrawals

From Spain.

IMPORTANCE URGED ON ITALY. British Official Wireless. (Received 11 a.m.) RUGBY, October 4. The joint Note by Britain and France to Italy welcomes Italian adherence to the Nyon agreement as affording favourable conditions for examination of the situation in Spain which is obstructing progress towards European appeasement.

It is urged that until non-intervention is made effective by the withdrawal of non-Spanish combatants from Spanish territory, improvement is impossible, and it is suggested that previous agreement between the British, French and Italian Governments, in regard to substantial measures to this end, is necessary to overcome difficulties encountered by the Non-intervention Committee.

"The Times" states that the Note adds that such a tripartite agreement would ease the political situation and that when substantial withdrawal of volunteers in fact has been accomplished it should be possible without much difficulty to solve other problems, such as granting of conditional belligerent rights to the two parties to the Spanish conflict.

The need for speedy action and the early beginning of tripartite conversations is emphasised.

An earlier cable message stated that the Assembly of the League did not carry the resolution authorising Britain and France to negotiate with Italy for the withdrawal of foreign troops from Spain because of the opposition of Albania, Austria, Hungary and Portugal.

Thirty-two States approved the Political Committee's resolution, but the necessary unanimity was lacking.

NO REPLY YET. Franco-British Concern Over Italians in Spain. RECENT RAIDS ON CITIES. (Received 2 p.m.) LONDON, October 4. The Australian Associated Press diplomatic correspondent says Signor Mussolini has not yet replied to the British and French invitation to a three-Power talk. His decision is not likely to be known for several days. Complete rejection is not expected, but he will probably submit counter-proposals for discussion by the Non-intervention Committee. Also, he may insist on the inclusion of Germany in any discussions.

It is understood that France and Britain are very concerned at the discovery of evidence indicating that fresh reinforcements of Italian 'planes participated in the air raids on Valencia and Barcelona on Saturday, operating from Majorca.

The "Daily Telegraph" Rome correspondent understands that Bruno Mussolini and Colonel Biseo are both in Spain with a volunteer flying squadron of bombers. Official circles neither confirm nor deny the report.

SUCCESSFUL PUSH. Loyalist Offensive on Madrid Front. REBEL MACHINE-GUN NESTS. (Received 11 a.m.) MADRID, October 4. An official statement announces a successful offensive in the Villaverde sector of Madrid, which captured 65 houses in which insurgents had built machine-gun nests protected by steelplates bearing German inscriptions. Government troops captured machineguns and trench mortars.

Casualties in yesterday's raid on Valencia were 50 dead and 169 wounded.

GREETINGS EXCHANGED. FRANCO AND MUSSOLINI. LONDON, October 4. A message from Salamanca states that Signor Mussolini has telegraphed congratulating General Franco on the first anniversary of his appointment to the supreme command of the insurgent forces, and expressing wishes for the triumph of the Spanish insurgent cause.

General Franco, in reply, has congratulated Signor Mussolini on the "immense triumph of his Berlin visit."