FRANCO INTERVIEWED

Greymouth Evening Star, 6 November 1944, Page 5

FRANCO INTERVIEWED

SPAIN’S NEUTRALITY CLAIMED

LONDON, November 4. General Franco had his first interview since establishing his Government in 1939, with a British United Press correspondent at Madrid. General Franco stated: “Spain is neither Nazi nor Fascist. Nor is Spam allied to the Axis Powers.” General Franco claimed that Spain’s policy ot neutrality has disproved chaiges that Spain was obligated to/‘certain. European Powes” to aid tnem militarily against their enemies. . ' . ’’General Franco declared: ’Spams actions, after the German occupation of France in 1940, were even more important evidence' of this. When the German forces reached the Spanish frontier, thus leaving France totally disarmed, Spain, instead of seizing these circumstances to attack France from behind —which our traditional chivalry would never have permitted—adopted a friendly attitude to this neighbour. Then, when only one European Power remained at war against the Axis, and when the United States had not entered the war, there was an incomparable moment for us to take up arms if the allegations concerning our having obligations to the Axis had been true But Spain honourably maintained her complete neutrality. Spam could never allay herself ideologically with nations which are not guided by the principles of Catholicism. There is not an obstacle to Spain’s acting in collaboration with the principal Allied Powers, including Russia. But there must be no outside int ereference with Spain’s affairs. The presence of the Blue Division on the Russian front involved no thought of aggression against. Russia, but it constituted only a gesture of Spain’s unalterable opposition to Communism. He added: “The final form of the Government for Spain is at present being studied. The moment for the return of the Monarchy has not yet arrived, but it might come some time after the war. The Monarchy would have to be reorganised on the basis of a social reform.”