NOT RECOGNISED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23995, 19 June 1941, Page 10

NOT RECOGNISED

CROATIAN STATE

BRITISH CABINET VIEW

REPLY TO PROTESTS (Reed. 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, June IT The following is tho text of a Note, dated June 11, from the Foreign Secretary, Mr. Anthony Eden, to the Yugoslav Minister, from whom statements expressing the Hoyal Yugoslav Government's concern at attempts by Germany and Italy to dismember territory belonging to the \ ugoslav State and nation had been received :

"In the statement communicated in yiMir Nolo of Mav I I it is pointed out that after the occupation by German troops of portion of the Banovine of Croatia, "the independent Croatian State' was proclaimed, under the protection of (he occupying armies, by Dr. Ami I'avelic, the Croatian Quisling, together with a handful of subversive individuals who have no following among the Croats. In the face of the proclamation of an independent Croatia, imposed by an occupying Power, the Hoyal Yugoslav Government protested and emphasised that all acts in connection with the establishment of this so-called independence, with the aim of partitioning Yugoslav territory and destroying Yugoslav national unity, were to bo considered null and void. Camouflaged Annexation

''ln your Note of .Mav lti it is pointed out that, the independent Croatian State, transformed into an hereditary Monarchy, had been proclaimed in Rome on Mav IS and 1!', that agree-

incuts had been signed ceding to' Italy large parts <il territory belonging to the Yugoslav State and nation, and that other agreements had been reached which represented the camouflaged annexation to Italy ot the whole terri-

tor.v of the newly-created Croatian State. It is further pointed out that all territory decisions have been made without 'any consultation and participation of the people whose vital rights and interests, by these decisions, are heavily affected.' '•'Finally, the statement contained in your .Vote of .June 5 recounts that the German and Italian Governments, after having occupied the territory of Yugoslavia by military force, annexed Slovania. one part to Germany and one part to Italy, and that this brutal dismemberment of the Slovene people is contrary to ethical principles, since fliis territory is inhabited 'by a population absolutely compact and of pure Slovene origin.' Acts Held to be Null and Void

"In taking formal note of these .protests by the Yugoslav Government I wish to avail myself of the opportunity of informing you that these acts by the German and Italian Governments are held to be null and void by the British Government, are supporting, and will continue to support, the. Government of King I'eter as being the only duly accredited representative of Croatia and Slovenia, as ol other parts of the Yugoslav State. "Meanwhile. I need hardly assure vou that the British Government fully shares the view of the Royal Yugoslav Government as expressed in your Notes and it desires me to place on record its sense of indignation at the shameless manner in which ugoslavia has been mutilated and parts of her territory subjected to foreign rule in gross violation of the true leelings ol the Yugoslav people in general and of ! the Croatian and Slovene populations in particular." "RALLY TO ME" MARSHAL PETAIN'S APPEAL BROADCAST ADDRESS LONDON, June is "You have been neither abandoned nor betrayed," Marshal Petajn told the French people in a broadcast front ieh.v on the first anniversary of his taking over power from President Revnaud. "This is no time to take refuge in bitterness," he said. "Neither should you sink to despair. You have not been sold out. Those who are telling you that are throwing you into the arms of Communism. You are suffering, and you will suffer for a long time, because you have not finished paying for past mistakes. "Rally to me, he pleaded, "and you will come safely out ol the darkness into which this terrible adventure has plunged von. I need your latth, wisdom and patience. Pull yourselves together and go with me in confidence. Thus we will 'emerge from night and march together to a new future." Marshal Petain made no mention ot Syria.

JAPAN'S AIR STRENGTH

CAUGHT UNPREPARED aggressiveness limited WASHINGTON, .Tune is Japan's aggressiveness in the Far East is limited b.v her mediocre air foree. says the Institute of Pacific Relations, in a survey, which states that Japan has 1000 aeroplanes and is producing 3000 annually. Sixty per cent, of her naval warplanes' are obsolete and'possibly more dangerous to their pilots than to the enemy. Western dependencies in the Far Fast have 2000 first-line aeroplanes, all shore-based. Japan' has always Velied on her navy to maintain .supremacy in the Orient, but the sudden importance ol aviation has caught her unprepared. This is probably the reason why .Japan's southern advance is marking time. WORST TO COME HEAVIER WAR ORDEALS PRETORIA, June is Probably the greatest difficulties and tiie heaviest ordeals are still before'the Kmpire. said Field-Marshai Smuts, Prime .Minister of South Africa. "It is a terrible thing to say," he added, "but instead ol il being near tiie end of I lie war il almost looks like the beginning. .Mankind is always being tested, and the present generation will have to decide whether it is worthy of its freedom."

CORPORAL DECORATED

EPISODE OF GIANT BOMB (Herd, s.r, p.m.! LOXDOX, June 17 ('orpor.'il W'vllii'. of tlic I! ova I Kn■litieers. and ;i member ol 111<• bomb disposal squad that removed the gianl lionih I Vol 11 St Paul's Cathedral. was decorated by tin" King with the George. Cross at an invest iture held this week at liuckingham Pahiee. The official account of Corporal Wyllic's gallantry stated: "His intense energy was an example to his comrades." The King asked him: "How long did il take the squad to get the bomb out?'' "Three davs. Your .Majesty;" replied Corporal Wyllic. At the same investiture the Kiiie decorated Lieutenant l!ichard Moore H.X.V.R., with the George Cross for gallantry and undaunted devotion to duty. In addition to theso two men the King decorated eight women and IWS men with the George Medal. Most of these came from the civil defence services and police, hut there were members of three fighting services and the Home Guard.