SUDDEN ANGLO-FRENCH ACTIVITY.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 11 April 1939, Page 6

SUDDEN ANGLO-FRENCH ACTIVITY.

BRITAIN CONVEYS STRONG CENSURE TO ROME.

NAVAL MOVES RUMOURED

(By Telegraph-Press Assn.-Copyright) LONDON, April 9.

With the Italian occupation of Albania virtually completed and a temporary Cabinet set up at Tirana, the Albanian capital, there are signs that Britain and France are concerned at the implications of the Italian invasion, particularly as they may affect Greece. Sudden diplomatic and staff consultations in Paris and London give significance to the latest moves.

The British Foreign Minister, Lord Halifax, saw the Greek Minister this morning and the Italian Charge d’Affaires, Signor Crolla, three times in the course of the day.

In these interviews with Signor Crolla, which, it may be assumed, resulted from certain disquieting reports regarding th* general situation following Friday’s Italian initiative in Albania, Lord Halifax left Signor Crolla in no doubt as to the serious view taken by Britain of the Italian action in Albania, as well as to the strength of British feeling on the subject. Signor Crolla gave Lord Halifax an assurance in firm and categorical terms regarding the strictly limited character of the Italian action in Albania.

Due note was taken by Lord Halifax of this assurance, the terms of which have been made known to Lord Perth, British Ambassador to Eome,

The Prench Prime Minister, M. Daladier, interrupted his holiday at Eambouillet, returned to Paris and summoned the following to meet at the War Ministry at 5 p.m.: M. Lachambre (Air Minister), M. Campinchi (Navy Minister), General Gamelin (Chief-of-Staff of the French armed forces), General Georges (field commander), General Yuillemin (Chief of the Air Staff), and Vice-Admiral d’Arlan (Chief of Naval Operations).

The French Foreign Minister, M. Bonnet, initiated this sudden activity after telephoning the British Embassy. He returned to Paris from his country home and telephoned M. JDaladier, urging him to return. M. ,Bd§net saw the British Ambassador, Sir Eric Phipps, after which he went to the Champs d’Elysees to report to President Lebrun.

M. Daladier’s conference with the defence chiefs lasted for two hours.

Meanwhile, the British Prime Minister, Mr. Chamberlain, has returned to London from Scotland, where he went to spend the Easter holidays. Cabinet is to meet to-morrow morning. In London, Lord Halifax, the Foreign Minister, and Sir Alexander Cadogan, of the Foreign Office staff, conferred with Major-General Viscount Gort, Imperial defence chief, and Vice-Admiral Cunningham, Chief of the Naval Staff, at the office of the Imperial Defence Committtee.

The British Admiralty denies reports from Berlin and Eome that British naval units have landed on Corfu, the Greek island off the southern extremity of Albania.

At Athens, Greek officials deny rumours that strong British and French naval squadrons have arrived in Greek waters. It is explained that three British warships were seen 35 miles north of Corfu and that possibly they belong to a squadron which is engaged on a spring cruise.

Count Ciano arrived at Rome from Tirana. He received the British Ambassador, Lord Perth.

A message from Istanbul says that as a result of the conference between M. Saracoglu and Dr. Gafencu, Turkey and Rumania agreed to pursue the Balkan Entente policy.

A message from Tripoli says the German Air Minister, Field-Marshal Goering, has arrived in Tripoli. He was welcomed by cheering crowds.