AXIS WARNINGS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 18 November 1940, Page 5

AXIS WARNINGS

TO GREECE AND TURKEY CONFERENCE OF MILITARY CHIEFS POSSIBLE DRIVE THROUGH YUGOSLAVIA [U.P.A.-By Electric Telegraph-Copyright] LONDON, 1 6th November. It is officially stated in Berlin i that a conference between . the i Chief of the German Army High Command, General von Keitel, and the Chief of the Italian General Staff, Marshal Badoglio, was held at Innsbruck “on the joint conduct of the war.” The artillery chief. General Yodel, General von Rintelen, and the German military attache in Rome, Major-General Gandin, and General Marras, Italian military attache in Berlin, participated. Both Axis capitals have used the conference for new warnings to Turkey and Greece. They forecast increased German activity in the Balkans, including a possible joint Axis drive against Greece through Yugoslavia or Bulgaria. Mussolini has only 1 3 divisions in Albania, for which reason it can be assumed that he has plenty in reserve for a drive against Yugoslavia, eliminating the sea crossing for the supply of the forces in Albania.

The Germans have also continued to boast that all developments in the Balkans must be considered against the background of the visit of the Soviet Premier, M. Molotov, who has now returned to Moscow. The “Voelkischer Beobachter” says: “M. Molotov’s visit has intensified Russian and German collaboration, establishing solid limits to their respective interests and eliminating the possibility of friction.” It is semi-officially stated that Turkish reaction to these threats reaffirms her determination to safeguard her independence. ’ The German Ambassador to Turkey, Herr von Papen, has returned to Istanbul by air from Berlin. The Turkish Press hails the bombing of Taranto as a definite advance toward an Italian military crash. The Taranto attack has impressed the Spaniards, whose newspapers reproduced the Admiralty communique and Mi Churchill’s speech. FRENCH EQUATORIAL AFRICA PORT GENTIL SURRENDERS TO DE GAULLE LONDON, 16th November. A message from Bruzzaville states that General de Gaulle’s forces have occupied Port Gentil, the last Vichy stronghold in French Equatorial Afirca. without a fight. A communique by General de Gaulle in London states that the 350-ton patrol vessel La Poumic has been sunk in an action with the enemy. COCOA CROPS PURCHASE BY BRITAIN I British Official Wireless j RUGBY, 14th November. His Majesty’s Government has decided to purchase for the second year in succession the whole cocoa production of the British colonies of the Gold Coast and Nigeria. For the purpose the Colonial Office has appointed a West African Cocoa Control Board under the chairmanship of Mr George Hall, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies, to supervise the purchase and marketing of the 1940-41 cocoa crops in these colonies and in the French Cameroons. Through firms and individuals normally engaged in the West African cocoa trade the Board will sell to the Ministry of Food the cocoa requirements of the United Kingdom.