BALKANS SITUATION

Greymouth Evening Star, 20 November 1939, Page 7

BALKANS SITUATION

ITALIAN WARNING TO SOVIET

WILL RESIST COMMUNISM

[By CABLE —PRESS ASSN. —COPYRIGHT.]

LONDON, November 18.

Italy gave Russia a sharp warning to-day, first, by an attack on the radio, and second, by open support of Finland through the semi-official Press. The Rome radio declared that Italy would resist immediately any attempt to introduce Communism into the Balkans. The Ballian States wanted a united front against Communism. The defence and security of the Mediteiranean were of the greatest concern to Italy. In this connection it is reported from Istanbul that Jugoslavia has agreed to a proposal by Turkey and Roumania for summoning a meeting of the members of the Entente. Bulgaria has also accepted an invitationto send an observer.

It is also reported from Istanbul that the Soviet Ambassador (M. Tarantjev) twice conferred with the Turkish Foreign Minister (Sukru Saracoglu) and that the reopening of talks between Turkey and Russia is believed to be imminent. The Soviet Press has lately ceased attacks on Turkey. Roumania is showing a desire for some Entente connection with Balkan policy.

“THINLY-DISGUISED THREAT.”

“The announcement that Italy will not allow the spread of Communism in the Balkans is calculated, greatly to annoy the Soviet,” says Mr. G. E. R. Gedye, Moscow correspondent of the “New York Times.”

“It is regarded as a thinly-disguised threat to the Soviet, since there is no reason for a pronouncement on the Balkans, where there is nothing to suggest a reappearance of the native Communism; but there is reason to expect that the Soviet will seek soon to extend her influence in the Balkans.

“Italy’s warning seems primarily intended to check the extension of a Rus-sian-Bulgarian rapprochement. It suggests that Italy’s plans of a Balkan bloc must be considerably advanced. “Bulgaria is unlikely to enter a Balkan bloc without settlement of the Dobruja and the Aegean demands, but Italian pressure on Greece and Roumania might induce Bulgaria to end her flirtation with Russia and accept Italy’s sponsorship of a Balkan bloc, provided Italy is not over-powerful. “In the sense that Bulgaria is the key to the formation of a great military power in the Balkans, Russia’s failure to reply to Italy’s increasing hostility is unquestionably a result of German insistence that nothing must be done to widen the obvious ItalianGerman breach, but it is doubtful whether German influence will be sufficient to impose continued silence.

“A bewildering picture is presented by the Soviet Press, which is obliged to handle with kid gloves the Fascistruled States that the Russians naturally detest, while official hostility is reserved for the United States and the Western democracies, with which the public are surprised to find they have a quarrel.”

Mr. Gedye adds: “Reports that Germany is co-operating in a blockade of Finland are unfounded. The RussianFinnish situation is improving slowly, and the prospect of an immediate hostile move is steadily decreasing.” FINLAND'S PREDICAMENT “ROASTING ON SLOW FIRE.” HELSINKI, November 18. Finland still maintains that the negotiations with Russia are only suspended. She complains of Soviet Press exaggeration in the war of nerves. The majority of those evacuated from Helsinki have returned, and life in the capital is again normal. Fifteen Finnish ships are detained in German ports. Two of them, bound for America, have been held up at Stettin for months. The Swedish Press outspokenly declares: “We will stand by Finland, who at present is roasting en a slow fire.” ITALIAN SYMPATHY. ROME, November 19. The publication, “Regime> Fascista,” declared: “We sympathise with the small, heroic Finnish nation, which is both ethnically and culturally a homogeneous nation. Russia is displeased because Finland controls the entrance to the Gulf of Finland, in which the Soviet has its second capital.