ITALIAN MOVES IN BALKANS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 84, Issue 191, 15 August 1940, Page 5

ITALIAN MOVES IN BALKANS

PRESSURE ON GREECE THE BRITISH GUARANTEE SUGGESTED RENUNCIATION [By Telegraph- Press Association—Copyright] Received Aug. 14, 9.55 p.m. LONDON, Aug. 14. The Associated Press of America’s Athens* correspondent says that the Italian and German Ministers in Athens are reported to have sent a message to the Greek Premier, General Metaxas, suggesting that Greece formally renounce Britain’s guarantee of Greek independence and territorial integrity. High diplomatic quarters say that General Metaxas rejected the suggestion. It is also reported from Rome that Italian spokesmen accuse Greece of having territorial designs on Albania and indicate that Mussolini will sooner or later demand parts of Greek and Yugoslav territory for Albania in a general settlement.

Authoritative circles, however, deny that Italy intends to make territorial demands on Greece, but Yugoslav sources emphasise that “Italy has taken a grave view” again of the alleged murder of an Albanian subject by Greeks. The newspaper Popolo di Roma reports that the Albanian Fascist, Leonardo Ciurcovich, was murdered in Italian Dalmatia. Importance is

attached to the murder because of the long-standing Italian campaign to separate Dalmatia from Yugoslavia. Il Duce’s spokesman, Signor V. Gayda, said Italy expects Greece to answer for its new crimes, and declared that Italy would not tolerate Greece’s acts against the independence of Albania. Greece, he said, was lopg the silent ally and agitator for the democracies. From the first day of the war Greece conducted a corrosive action on the Albanian front and offered aid by the use of its territory for the British, of whom Greece is more the open accomplice every day.

The Italian Press in a chorus against Greece says Fascist circles are threatening invasion if Greece abandons her neutrality.