"LIBERATE" EGYPT

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 225, 21 September 1940, Page 10

"LIBERATE" EGYPT

What Axis Will Pay For Spanish War Declaration

(United Press Association.—Copyright.—Ttcc. 2 p.m.) LONDON, September 20. The Rome correspondent of the British United Press says Ribbentrop's visit may lead to a meeting of Hitler and Mussolini. The Italian spokesman emphasises that Ribbentrop's talks were vastly important. After telephoning to Hitler and a further talk with Mussolini and Ciano, Ribbentrop announced that he had concluded the Italian visit and would return to Berlin to-morrow, after which he would again confer with Senor Suner, the Spanish Minister of the Interior, who led the mission to Berlin and Rome. They would confer regarding Spain's co-operation in the Axis. To-day's Rome talks the subject of varying interpretations, but Italian and German informed quarters are agreed that the conferences were essential because "the decisive stage in the war has been reached with the bombardment of London and the invasion of Egypt. Apparently clarification of the Axis interests in Africa formed one of the most important aspects of the talks, including the price to be paid for Spain's immediate entry into the war. Germans declared that the elimination of Britain from Africa would follow the "liberation'' of Egypt, which would remain independent if it does not fight against the Axis. Senor Suner apparently has been told bluntly that the extent of Spain's territorial reward, Gibraltar and Morocco, will be governed by the degree and urgency of Spanish co-operation.