14 POWERS FOR DEFENCE PACT OF MEDITERRANEAN

Grey River Argus, 24 February 1949, Page 5

14 POWERS FOR DEFENCE PACT OF MEDITERRANEAN

Greek Proposals

LONDON, Feb 22

The Greek Foreign Minister, Mr Tsaldaris, who is visiting Britain, said to-day that he had told Mr Ernest Bevin when they met yesterday of his pians for a Mediterranean pact parallel to the North Atlantic pact. Mr Tsaldaris, in an interview, said he believed an Atlantic pact was the key to a world security system, since it would establish' a principle of American policy. He also envisaged stage by' stage consolidation of regional security by the Mediterranean Powers, but agreed that the discussions should only become formal after the signing of the Atlantic Pact had prepared the ground. The first step would be “a Northern Mediterranean oact” linking Turkey, Greece, Italy, France and Britain. He hoped it would eventually be possible to solve the political problems and allow Spain to join. The second phase would be an eastwards extension to tie in Greece, Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Transjordan and possibly Pakistan. Mr Tsaldaris admitted that many problems faced the fulfilment of such a scheme, but said he firmly favoured extending regional associations to span the world.