MEDITERRANEAN PACT

Chronicle (Levin), 23 February 1949, Page 5

MEDITERRANEAN PACT

(N.Z.P.A.-

Reuter ;

Greek Minister Speaks On Regionai Security '

CODVrif,ni t

Received Wednesday, 9.30 a.m. LONDON, Feb: 22. The Greek Foreign Minister, M. Tsaldaris, who is visiting Britain, said today that he told the Foreign Secretary, Mr. Ernest Bevin, when they met yesterday, of his plans for a Mediterranean pact parallel to the North Atlantic Pact. M. Tsaldaris, in an interview, said'he believed, that the Atlantic Pact was the key to a world security system since it would establish a principle of American policy. He also envisaged a stage by stage consohdation of regionai security by .the Mediterranean Powers, but agreed that discussions should only befcome formal after the signing of the Atlantic Pact had prepared the ground. The first step, said' M. Tsaldaris, would be a "Northern Mediterranean pact" linking Turkey, Greece, Italy, France and Britain. He hoped it would eventually be possible to solve the political problems and*allow Spain to join. • The second' phase would be an eastwards extension to tie in Greece, Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Transjordan and, possibly, Pakistan. M.. Tsaldaris admitted that many problems faced the fulfilment of such a scheme, but said he firmly favoured extending regionai associations to span the world.