MR CHURCHILL

Waikato Times, Volume 128, Issue 21356, 26 February 1941, Page 5

MR CHURCHILL

TALKS WITH AMBASSADORS CONFIDENCE IN TURKEY (United Press Assn.—■£!-c. re;. Copyright) LONDON, Feb. 24 The Prime Minister, Mr Churchill, today had a talk with the Turkish Ambassador, Dr. Tewfik Arras, and expressed British confidence that Turkey would be loyal to her obligations. He also saw the Greek Minister, M. Simopoulos, and expressed the utmost admiration for the fight that was being waged by the Greeks. Undoubtedly both the Turkish Ambassador and the Greek Minister were glad to hear some of the details of the visit to North Africa by the Foreign Secretary, Mr Anthony Eden, because already British strategy in North Africa is having great repercussions across the Mediterranean and is likely to have more. No Compromise or Parley Replying to a question in the House of Commons asking the Foreign Secretary to state in precise terms the offer made by Japan to mediate between the belligerents in the present war and the reply given by the British Government, the Foreign Under-Secretary, Mr R. A. Butler, said that in a recent communication the Japanese Foreign Minister, after referring generally to the European war, observed that Japan was fully prepared to act as mediator or take whatever action was calculated to restore peace and normal conditions, not only in Greater East Asia but anywhere in the world. The Japanese Foreign Minister, in a subsequent public statement, said that after consulting Germany his words were not to be regarded as an offer of mediation in the European war. In any case the Japanese Foreign Minister had been informed by Mr Winston Churchill that in a cause of the kind for which we are fighting there can be no question of compromise or parley.