BRITISH POLICY UNCHANGED

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 24020, 7 August 1943, Page 5

BRITISH POLICY UNCHANGED

SURRENDER MUST BE UNCONDITIONAL (8.0. W.) RUGBY, Aug. 5. “It has been our policy and it will continue to be our policy. There has been no change, and I anticipate no change,” said the Lord Privy Seal (Lord Cranborne) when reiterating the determination of the Allies to demand the unconditional surrender of Italy. Referring to a suggestion that it would be right for the Allies to offer better treatment than unconditional surrender to a “popular Government” in Italy, he said he did not believe that that would be right. The Allies wanted the unconditional surrender of Italy so that they would be able to prosecute the war to the greatest extent against Germany. That situation would exist whatever Government was in power in Italy. As to the machinery which existed to ensure the fullest Allied co-opera-tion in regard to policy, Lord Cranborne said that, apart from official communications through ambassadors and daily constant personal messages between the Prime Minister and Mr Roosevelt, there were day to day discussions on the military aspect of the campaign by a special committee in Washington. Mr Stalin had been informed throughout of the nature and character of the Sicilian operations. He was told soon after Casablanca what was intended. On all matters affecting high policy regarding developments in Italy the Soviet Government had been kept in full touch, and it was in full agreement with the policy of requiring unconditional surrender.