FIGHT OF THE ARABS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23884, 11 August 1939, Page 11

FIGHT OF THE ARABS

BACKED BY THE AXIS A GERMAN DECLARATION ’ VISIT OF EMISSARY TO HITLER Following the week-end visit that Khalid-al-Hud, counsellor and special emissary of King Ibn Saud of Saudi Arabia, made to Chancellor , Adolf Hitler at Berchtesgaden, the Deutsche Diplomatisch - Politische Korrespondenz announces that Germany and Italy are determined to support the Arab peoples in their struggle for unhampered political freedom and economic and social advancement, says a Berlin message to the New York Times. The Berchtesgaden conversations, •ays the Foreign Office mouthpiece, ** obviously directed the political world’s: attention to developments in the Near East and the role played there by the Arab people.” The official pronouncement gains importance in that it appears in connection with reports of an impend- ' ing breach in the relations between Britain and Saudi Arabia. It especially stresses that the Axis Powers are determined to support the Arabs in their desire to strengthen their own political and economic independence and also their determination to eliminate the incursion of foreign influence into their internal affairs. “ The German Reich, although it has in the past maintained only loose relations with the Near Eastern States, has, nevertheless, always had sympathetic regard for the fight for Arab independence,” it says. “ This concern for Arabia’s fate has increased with the growth of the Reich. -v- : -V- '• - ' • . “The development of Arab air lines and radio broadcasts is proof to-day oT the honest intentions and usefulness of this support that Germany—and therefore her Axis partner Italy—has given to the Arab nations for the advancement of their political and social development. Relations Strengthened "The Reich' has lately strengthened its ‘ diplomatic relations with the Arab States and thereby has Clearly showfl its interest in their further welfare. Germany, whose relations with the Arab peoples have never been strained by broken promises arid attempts tp uproot

and dislodge them from their native soil, will continue to extend friendlv support to these States." The Korrespondenz allows it to be understood that recompense for German and Italian support would be close economic co-operation and the elimination of British and French influence on internal affairs in the Near Eastern States.

“ The strengthening of Arab independence would automatically to a large extent exclude the influence of foreign nations on the internal affairs of these States and enable the Arabs to smooth out their own. internal difficulties,” it declares. “ In the final instance it is for the Arabs to decide whether they are to continue to be the object of exploitation by foreign imperialistic States or whether they will find the way to close co-operation with economically strong States that will exploit their natural riches and thereby increase the populace’s wellbeing.” “ Smaller Nations ” Warned Speaking in Luebeck before the sixth congress of the Nordic Society, Dr Alfred Rosenberg warned the “smaller natiohs” that they must observe certain obligations towards their larger neighbour countries. “All nations are dependent on each other,” he said. “ The duties of great nations are respect for the race culture, tradition, and economic needs of their smaller neighbours. “ These, on the other hand, also have their own obligations. They must not believe that they can constantly slander the heads of State of greater nations that are creating a new order of life. In their own interests they must not condone irresponsible press anarchy. “ Finally, they must have together with their greater neighbours common respect for the territory in which each was born.” Dr Rosenberg also asserted: “In reality there is no such thing as absolute political equality or political independence.” He concluded:— “ It is the duty of the Nordic States to observe the law of the North Sea and the Baltic territory—that is, to keep out speculative agents whoso only purpose is to continue the policy of world exploitation.”