SERBIA'S FUTURE.

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVI, Issue 71, 21 September 1943, Page 5

SERBIA'S FUTURE.

Hitler on Saturday received the Serbian Premier, General Neditch, who before seeing him had a long talk with Herr yon .Ribbentrop concerning Serbia's future. The Berlin radio says that General Naditch's visit to the Fuhrer clearly indicates that the German authorities appreciate his constructive endeavours.

"The latest developments in Italy created a new situation as far as problems in south-eastern Europe were concerned," the radio said, "and these are now removed, since the dynastical interest of the' Italian Royal House needs no longer to be taken into account. The question of the future status of Serbia was one of the problems unsolved after the disintegration of the Yugoslav State. The willing cooperation of the present Serbian Government will doubtless be rewarded. The peoples of south-eastern Europe are coming to the. conclusion l that Britain and the United States are prepared to make far-reaching concessions to the Soviet Union, particularly in south-eastern Europe, and they are also gaining the conviction that a Gex*man victory is in the interest of all nations in that area."'—B.O.W.

the Germans. Following upon the announcement of the Italian armistice, 5000 German troops, including panzer units, out-manoeuvred and crushed the garrison of 20,000 Italians. The worst fighting was centred in the town of Rhodes, where Italian artiillery engaged mobile German units in an all-night-long duel. German motqrised infantry also fought Italian garrisons at practically every strategic point on the island, culminating in fierce attacks by German dive-bombers from Crete.

The Germans immediately after the Italian surrender instituted a reign of terror, machine-gunning crowds in the streets of Rhodes and other places, and many civilians were killed or wounded.

WOMAN AMBASSADOR

LONDON, September 20.

A Stockholm report says that the Soviet Union's Minister to Stockholm, Madame Kollontay, has been raised to the rank of Ambassador. She states that it is a purely honorary distinction, in recognition of her services. The "Afton Dagbladet," however, says the promotion means that an important political conference between Great Powers is coming in Stockholm, at which Madame Kollontay will have the same rank as the negotiators. Such a conference between Russia and the Allies may concern a separate peace for Finland. s Rec. 11 a.m. LONDON. Sept. 20. Stockholm reports that Madame Kollontay denied the report that her promotion to Ambassador was connected with plans for a separate peace with Finland. "It is a pure invention," she said.