GREEK INITIATIVE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXI, Issue 128, 1 May 1941, Page 7

GREEK INITIATIVE

WITHDRAWAL DECISION. NOTE MADE PUBLIC. (Dec. 9.15 a.m.) LONDON, April 50. The first official statement on the evacuation of Greece was made in the House of Commons to-day by the Foreign Minister (Air Eden). In reply to a question, Mr Eden said: “Pending any statement that may be made in the course of the next,week, may 1 state that on April 21 the Greek Prime .Minister communicated a Note from which the House will sec that the decision to withdraw was taken in full agreement with the Greek Government, to whom great credit is due for the decision made.” A British Official Wireless messagesays a translation of the document in which tho Greek Government, on April 21, informed the British Government that further sacrifice of Llie British Expeditionary Force would be in vain, and advised its withdrawal, is now published. It states

“The Greek Government. while expressing to the British Government and to the gallant Imperial troops its gratitude for the aid which they have extended to Greece in her defence against unjust aggression, are obliged to make the following statement: — “After having conducted for more than six months a victorious struggle against strongly superior enemy forceps, the Greek army has now reached a state of exhaustion and, moreover, finds itself completely deprived of certain resources indispensable for the pursuit of the war. such as munitions, motorised vehicles, and aeroplanes—-resources with which it was, in any case, inadequately supplied from the outbreak of hostilities. “This state of things makes it impossible for the Greeks to continue the struggle with any chance of success and deprives them of all hope of being able to lend some assistance to their valiant Allies. “At the same time, in view of the importance of preserving the British contingents, in view of the limited aviation at their disposal, and in view of the extent of the front heroically defended by them. the Imperial Forces have absolute need for the assistance of the Greek army, without which they could not prolong their own resistance for more .than a low days. “In these conditions the continuation of the struggle, while incapable of producing any useful effect, would have no other result than to bring the collapse of the Greek army and bloodshed useless to the Allied Forces. C'onsequentlv. the Royal Government are obliged io state that further sacrifice of the British Expeditionary Force would ho in vain and that its withdrawal in time seems to he rendered necessary hv the circumstances and by the interests common to the struggle.”