NAVAL CONVERSATIONS

Evening Star, Issue 22271, 24 February 1936, Page 9

NAVAL CONVERSATIONS

HINT OF ITALIAN ATTITUDE “ DEPENDENT ON POLITICAL CONSIDERATIONS " Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright LONDON, February 21. An official hint from Rome that Italy might make its signature to any technical naval agreement dependent on political considerations is among the latest developments complicating the Naval Conference, which for the past few days has proceeded from bilateral conversations. Mr Norman Davis called on Mr Anthony Eden and deprecated the introduction of European political issues into the conference, a view with which Mr Eden is understood to ha\ - e concurred. American circles declare that Mr Davis could not even initial a document going beyond a technical naval agreement, yet France is endeavouring to add a protocol to the agreement, resuscitating negotiations for an air agreement and other political pacts. SANCTIONS NOT A BAR ITALY WOULD BENEFIT BY AGREEMENT LONDON, February 22. The Rome correspondent of ‘ The Times’ says: “Well-informed quarters do not believe that Italy will refuse to sign any naval agreement reached at the London Conference as long as sanctions are in force, pointing out that Italy would benefit in accepting a naval agreement. Similarly no great importance is attached to reports that an Italo-German agreement has been conceded.”