WITHDRAWING TROOPS

Northern Advocate, 25 October 1935, Page 7

WITHDRAWING TROOPS

FORCES IN LIBYA . WELCOME ITALIAN MOVE BRITISH FLEET REMAINS. r United Press Association.-By Electric Telegraph. — Copyright. ] (Received 10.30 a.m.) LONDON, October 24. It is confirmed that Signor Suvich/ the Italian Under-Secretary for For-: eign Affairs, informed Sir Eric Drummond, British Ambassador to Rome, yesterday that Italy had ordered the withdrawal of a division of 20,000 Italian troops from Lifyya. They will probably go to Sicily, in view of the difficulties of bringing them back to Italy. The Libyan forces at present number between 60,000 and 70,000, compared with 15,000 British troops in Egypt.

British Government circles welcome the move', but it was taken entirely on Italian initiative, and is in no way associated by bargaining, and is not accompanied by a request for a reciprocal gesture on the part of' Britain. This clear statement from an authoritative quarter discounts rumours on the Continent’ concerning the withdrawal of ships from the Mediterranean. The Admiralty, replying to an Associated Press inquiry regarding the withdrawal of two warships from the Mediterranean, said “We know nothing about it.” The assumption is that Italy has not done sufficient in Libya to justify any British response. M. Laval’s Part. The news that M. Laval had announced that Italy was ready to withdraw one of its three divisions from Libya was received throughout the world with satisfaction. Later reports raised the question as to whether the action was dependent on the British withdrawal of two battleships from the Mediterranean.

M. Laval’s statement is reported to have been made at the Foreign Affairs Commission of the Chamber of Deputies which meets in secret. It was not mentioned in a subsequent communique but a reliable source states that M. Laval, after the meeting, confirmed that Signor Mussolini had authorised him to inform the commission of Italy’s decision. He added that he hoped it would be received favourably in Britain.

Members of the commission who were interviewed said, they considered the withdrawal was the first really important result ■of M. Laval’s peace efforts, and hoped with him that it would be reciprocated by a reduction of the British tonnage in the Mediterranean. The French communique above referred to stated that M. Laval gave a full account of the dispute, after which the commission affirmed its political fidelity to the loyal application of the Covenant under the auspices of the League with full collaboration with Britain and all friends of France.

The “Daily Telegraph" diplomatic correspondent understands that the Libyan division would not return to Italy but would merely be taken to Tripoli.