Manawatu Herald. THURSDAY, MARCH 15, 1017. GREECE AND ITALY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 1686, 15 March 1917, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. THURSDAY, MARCH 15, 1017. GREECE AND ITALY.

DBSCL’SSINC (he interests of Italy and Greece in the Balkans, M. Veni/elos said: —“1 consider-that our national claims to Northern Epirus are in no wise incompatible with the vital interests of Italy, which impose upon her the necessity for possessing the mastery of the entrance of the Adriatic. This mastery is assured to Italy by the possession of Valona and by that of the island of Saseno. In this connection I wish to recall that during the Balkan wars, when it was believed in Italy that we Greeks had aims at Valona, I, who was then Prime Minister, hastened to declare to the Italian Government that we had no such aims, and (hat, in any case, the Adriatic- lay outside our political sphere. And, as I perfectly understood Italy’s vital interests in occupying Valona, I neve]- dreamed of raising difficulties about her occupation of the, island of Saseno. More than (hat, in December, 19.13, in a conversation with (he then Italian Foreign Minister, the late Marchesse Di Ran Giuliano, I again declared that Greece, far from raising objections, would be glad to see Italy established at Valona. I know that there exists at the Gonsulta a copy of this conversation. By thus recognising Italy’s right to Valona, the island of Saseno, and a hinterland necessary from the strategic standpoint, 1 admitted this to be a question of political interest. But Northern Epirus is for us a different matter. For us the possession of Northern Epirus is a moral question, and one of patriotic sentiment. To show the clearness of my policy, when I ordered the Greek troops to re-enter Northern Epirus I did so only after an accord with the Italian Government, indirectly through the medium of Great Britain. Without Italy’s consent I would never have allowed them to eider. Further, 1 told all the Powers that the question of Northern Epirus ought to be submitted to the general peace conference.” When asked what he considered should he the basis of a Gneco-Ttalian agreement. more especially with regard to the /Egean and Eastern Mediterranean, M. Venizelos said that the fcasis of this should he “respect for the principle of nationality.” “The question of the Dodecanesus.” occupied by'ltaly since 1912, he added, “touches the heart of the Greek people, because the 13 occupied islands are profoundly Greek in origin, sentiments and culture. Nevertheless, during the Balkan wars I

initiated negotiations with Count Bosdari, the Italian Minister at Athens, for*an arrangement.” This compromise consisted in M. Venizelos f suggestion that Italy should if she considered that strategic reasons rendered it necessary, occupy the island of Stampalia, with its two tine harbours, and one other island. “I do not understand,” concluded M. Vcnizelos, “why Italy’s policy should be so ditlident towards us. What could little Greece, even if she became a nation of (i,()()(),OCX) do to a great Italy, with 00,000,000? —for that will be her population in 50 years’ time. We expect a little more sympathy from a great sister nation, for we are lighting the same battle.”