DIPLOMATIC PARLEY

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 164, 29 July 1937, Page 7

DIPLOMATIC PARLEY

-Press Assn.-

Mr. Chamberlain Meets Count Grandi BRITISH ATTITUDE

(By Telegraph-

— Copyright.)

LONDON, July 28. The Prime Minister, Mr Neville Chamberlain, and the Italian Am'bassador, Count Grandi, at the request of Mr Chiftnberlain, held a talk on the present situation of Europe. Tho talk, which lasted 90 minutes, was held in the Cabinet room at Downing Street. It is Tegarded as one of the most important diplomatie steps the British Prime Minister has vet taken. The diplomatie correspondent of tho Daily Mail says Mr Chamberlain asfcured Count Grandi that the British Government jias no aggressive intentions towards Italy. On the contrary it was anxious to work out a policy of collaboration with Italy. The Daily Telegraph says wellauthenticated evidence suggests that Signor Mussolini of ^late has persuaded himself that the B*ritish attitude on several important questions can be exSlained only on the hypothesis that Iritain is preparing for an ultimate attack on Italy. Mr Chamberlain emphasised this was an illusion which must be dispelled. Britain was neither surrendering her own interests no coveting those of any other Power. It is understood that the Prime Minister expressed his wish to restore the spirit in which the Anglo-Italian Mediterranean agreement was conceived, and asked Count Grandi * to state precisely Italy 's attitude regarding the Spanish war. Italiaq quarters describe the talk as having been very satisfactory.