TEMPORARY HALT

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 21607, 9 January 1945, Page 3

TEMPORARY HALT

BRITISH TROOPS ROAD TO THEBES E.L.A.S. RURAL. STRENGTH (9 a.m.) LONDON, Jan. 8. E.L.A.S, forces established in a defile and fighting with mortars and artillery have temporarily halted the British troops advancing towards Thebes, says the British United Press’ correspondent in Athens. Tiie Daily Mail’s correspondent in Athens says British infantry joined the tank columns in pursuing the retreating E.L.A.S. forces from 15 to 20 miles outside Athens. A mobile column has reached Kagissia, 15 miles from Athens. The correspondent of The Times hi Athens points out that the E.L.A.S. retreat from Athens does not mean that the insurgents have given up, and the withdrawal does not improve the over-all situation as muon as at first appeared. There is little doubt that the E.L.A.S. is in control everywhere in provincial Greece, leaving only Attica as the sphere of General Plasliras’ Government. This could lead to a serious economic and financial problem, because not only does Attica depend on the rest of Greece for food but the Government would lose the greater part of its revenue. It would mean that the Allies would have to feed and maintain 1,000,000 or ■2,000,000 persons in Athens until General Plastiras, with Greek forces and British troops, if available, cleared the rest of Greece. Good Defensive Positions The British forces pursuing the E.L.A.S. to the mountains outside Athens yesterday met the first real resistance since the insurgents pulled out from the capital on Friday, reports Reuter’s correspondent. The British armoured column, after reaching a point 20 miles north-west of Athens, has been halted in the area of Kanikaza, which is a narrow defile with good defensive positions which the E.L.A.S. is holding with mortals and artillery.

General Plastiras speaks as if it were for him to decide policy and military measures with complete nisregard for the Caserta agreement, says the Daily Herald’s political correspondent, commenting on General Plastiras statement that he intended to liquidate the E.L.A.S. throughout Greece. The correspondent adds that General Scobie stated he was still willing for cessation of hostilities under agreed conditions. General Plastiras, on the other hand, declared that he was prepared to accept only unconditional surrender. It seems clear that General Plastiras is conducting a military and political policy at variance with the British Government. The new ministers in General Plastira's Cabinet are M. Magropc.ulos (Agriculture), and M. Amndon (Education).

General Scobie’s communique reports that the situation in Athens and the Piraeus is quiet. British columns in the surrounding country are operating against E.L.A.S. detachments withdrawing northward. The situation elsewhere in Greece is unchanged.