STRONG PROTEST

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 24869, 15 April 1944, Page 7

STRONG PROTEST

SUPPLYING ENEMY ACTION OF NEUTRALS ALLIES' SERIOUS VIEW (Reed. 9.30 p.m.) LONDON, April 14 British and American diplomats have made vigorous protests to two leading neutral countries followingMr. Cordell Hull's warning that the United Nations will not tolerate interference from neutrals with the war against the Axis. The diplomatic correspondent of the Daily Telegraph says the British Ambassador to Turkey, Sir Hughe KnatchbullHugessen, has presented a strong protest to the Turkish Government against the continued export of chrome to Germany. A report from Istanbul says a demand has been made that Turkey shall end all her trade relations with the Axis. This has not been confirmed in London, but authoritative quarters agree that it might be the next step if Turkey does not comply with Allied requirements, According to the Stockholm correspondent of the Daily Telegraph, the joint British-American Note handed to the Swedish Government contained an interpretation ot Mr. Hull's speech in reference to the export ol raw materials to Germany by neutrals. Renter's Stockholm correspondent says a Note expressing the views ol Britain and America on Sweden's exports to Germany has reached the Swedish Government.

A Swedish Foreign Office spokesman, speaking generally on Mr. Hull's declaration, said: ''We are quite ready to see the Allies' viewpoint, but we have made an agreement, which cannot radically be changed without going back on our word." He added that Mr. Hull's warning to neutrals to break their trade relations with Germany came as a surprising blast, but Sweden intended to fulfil her commercial agreement with Germany for the present The political correspondent of the Daily Express says the British Ambassador to Madrid, Sir Samuel Hoare, has protested against the Spanish seizure of oil belonging to British and American oil companies, following the British-American ban on the export of oil to Spain. According to Renter's Lisbon correspondent a large German trade mission has arrived in Portugal to buy tin. sardines .and wolfram. Germany offers in return steel and a variety of machine tools.

Renter's Istanbul correspondent says a German trade delegation is expected in Turkey on April 20 to negotiate a renewal of the Turkish-German trade pact, which expires in May. The German news agency says it Is reported from Bucharest that Turkey has signed a new barter agreement with Rumania. A delegation representing the Rumanian State Railways has returned to Bucharest after spending throe weeks in the Turkish capital. It is stated to have purchased copper for the maintenance of locomotives in return for oil products.