Reply Negative And Unhelpful

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 15, 11 October 1937, Page 5

Reply Negative And Unhelpful

(BritisK Official Wtrelesa.)

ITALY'S REFUSAl Insistence on Invitation of Germany PROCEDURE QUESTION

(Received 11, 8.45 a.m.) RUGBY, Oct. 9. The texts of tho joint Anglo-Frencb Note to Italy, and of the Italian reply, Uave been issued in London. The Anglo-Frencb Note states that the Governments of France and Britain earnestly desire that the civil strife in Spain siiall cease, but they are convjneed that no considerable improvement in the situation is possible until further measures have been carried out to make the policy of non-intervention effective by the withdrawal of the nonSpanisli nationals now takingpart in the strnggle. So iong as large numbers of foreigners continne to assist both sides, the risk of grave international disturbanc-ea will be present, and will inevitably tend to increase until at least substantial nuinbers are witlidrawn. The Non-intervention Comimttee in London has been apprised of this programme, but the .difficulties jt ,has come up against have practically paralysed lts action, and it appears that an agreement hetween the three Powers is necessary to overcome these obstacles. .Frank OonverRaiicns. The view of the two Governments is that the elaboration of such an agreement should form one of the essential elements of the frank and cordial conrersatins to which. they invite Italy. Moreover, greatly as France and Britain desire to maintain the obligations they have under taken, resulting from international agreements re&pecting the supply of arnis and nien to Spain, they cannut eonceal from thcmselves the diffioulty of preserving these conditions unless sonie sucn steps are taken to make the policy of non-inter-vention really effective. The Note concludes : — > "In their view, such an agreement would not only make an important contribution to the improvement of the politicaf situation, hut onee such a withdrawal has been ett'ected the question of recognition, on certain conditions, of belligerent rights to the parties shoufd be capable of a solutiou. "It is the carnest desire of the two Governments that these conversations to which they attach the utmost importance, sliould be held at the earliesfc possible moment.'-' italy's Reply. The Italian reply states, inter alia: "The Fascist Government fully share the hope expressed by the British Government that th© internal struggles qf Spain may cease, and that the situation may evolve in such a manner that in other tields also progress may be realised tovv'ard general harmouy. They are ready, with every possible goodwill, to examine, as they have always dono in the past, all means which may be thought suitable to render effective the policy of non-intervention." Italy proceeds to recali that italy and Germany were the first to rais« the question of volunteers., Turning to the Angio-French invitation and its stated intention of obviating tho difficulties which have arisen in the • Non-intervention Committee. the Note continues : "Tlie Fascist Government appreciates in ull its vaiue the British suggestioii, but doubts whether the difficulties fn question can be overcome by way of ingenuitiesor device of procedure. They draw attention to the fact that the matter under discussion does not regard some States alone, but, on the contrary, directly interests other States besides France Britain and* Italy. Further, the fact ehould not be ov'erlooked that, withoiit the adherence of Burgos and Valencia. any decision on the question would fail to lead to practicai results. All the more so whou one relnembers that the attitudo of the represeiitativo of Valencia, who, by his specious pretext, excluded in his speech at Geneva any possibility of the evaeuation of volunteers enrolled in the armed forced of his Government. Procedure Dfspute. f'The proposed discussion, in the ab» sence of other States, jvould lack the elements indispensahle for teaching an agreement. It is tho conviction of tliq Fascist Government that tho adoption of procodures, even if only preliminary, outside the London committee would, in the present situation, result not only iu not diminishing, but also in increasing tho possibility of misundergtaudings and complications and in retarding, instead of hastening, tho attainment of a general agreement, which the Fascist Government. regards as supiemely necessary. "The Fascist Government, therefore, is of the opinion that the question of non-interventipn should continne to be dealt with by the London Committee. The Noto co^clude3• "The Fascist Government has finah ly, the honour to state that they will not participate in conversations, meetings, or conferences to which Germany has not been formally invited. Until the British Government has had an opportunity to study the Italian Note and exchange ideas with France, nothing lilce an official opinion will be ohtainable, but there is little doubt, from what is known of the British standpoint, that the Italian reply will cause disappointment and regret in London. The Italian rejoiitder that the questions proposed for discussion should be referred back to _ a procedure the obvious failure of which was the very reason for tho suggestiOn for eft'ort along fresh lines, is bOUnd to be considered by Britain as complelely nega- ' tivi and unhelpful,