GREECE’S FIRM TONE

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 283, 24 August 1940, Page 11

GREECE’S FIRM TONE

Pressure By Mussolini On Foreign Policy BRITISH RENEW PLEDGE < By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright.) (Received August 23. 8.10 p.m.) LONDON, August 23. The Belgrade (Yugoslavia) radio reports General Metaxas as saying after a meeting of the Greek Cabinet: “Greece will defend her freedom at any price." A message from Athens states that General Metaxas and his defence chiefs held a conference with the King at the Foreign Office. The conference lasted for over an hour, and it is understood that reported new Italian concentrations on the. Albanian frontier were discussed. LONDON, August 22. The "Daily Telegraph”.says that reports from a usually reliable source reaching Belgrade tonight state that Italy has given Greece 24 hours in which to renounce the British guarantee of help in the event of attack. .Hostilities will follow if Greece refuses. General Metaxas has informed the British Minister at Athens, Sir Charles Palairet, that the Greek army is loyal and that Turkish support seems assured. It is learned in London that a British spokesman in Athens said that if Greece resists attack, the British Navy and Air Force will immediately rush to her aid. The official Greek news agency denied the allegation of the Albanian newspaper “Tomori” that the Greek authorities some months ago organized armed bands for the persecution of Albanians. The news agency added that the whole population of Greece was most friendly toward Albania.