CLAIM TO TRIESTE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25849, 21 May 1945, Page 5

CLAIM TO TRIESTE

REMINISCENT OF HITLER ALEXANDER’S STATEMENT (Rec. 10.15 p.m.) LONDON, May 19. Field-marshal Sir Harold Alexander, in a statement to Allied troops in the Mediterranean theatre on Marshal Tito’s “apparent intention to establish claims to the Trieste region by force of arms, said: “Action of this kind would be all too reminiscent of Hitler, Mussolini, and Japan. It is to prevent actions of this kind that we have been fighting. • “ I tried my best to come to a friendly agreement with Marshal Tito, but did not succeed. The British and American Governments, as a result of this, have taken up the matter directly with Marshal Tito.” “Tito has claimed the Italian territory around Trieste and Gorizia known as Venezia-Guilia and Austrian territory around Villach and Klagenfurt. We are not objecting to the claims Tito is advancing for this territory. His claims will be examined and finally settled with fairness and impartiality at the Peace Conference in exactly the same manner as other disputed areas in Europe. Our policy is that territorial changes should be made only after thorough study and after full consideration and deliberation among the Governments concerned.”

Field-marshal Alexander declared that the United Nations had agreed to work together to seek an orderly and just solution to the territorial problems. This was one of the cornerstones on which their representatives at San Francisco were at present working to build up a system of world security. “ We cannot throw away the vital principles for which we fought,” he added. “It is our duty.under those principles to hold disputed territories as trustees until their ultimate disposal is settled at the peace conference. We may be relied on to act with impartiality, as we do not covet the territories ourselves. We have kept Russia fully informed and are now waiting to hear whether Tito is prepared to co-operate in accepting a peaceful settlement of territorial claims or whether' he will attempt to establish them by force.”