WOOING OF SPAIN

Taranaki Daily News, 23 September 1940, Page 8

WOOING OF SPAIN

subject of rome talks Rome, Sept. 20. Herr von Ribbentrop, German Foreign Minister, after telephoning Herr Hitler and having a further talk with Signor Mussolini and Count Ciano, Italian Foreign Minister, announced that he had concluded his Italian visit and would return to Berlin to-morrow, after which he will again confer with Senor Suner, Spanish Minister of the Interior, regarding Spain's co-operation with the Axis. There were varying interpretations of the talks, but Italian and German informed circles agreed that the ^ conferences were essential because a "decisive stage of the war" has been reached with the bombardment of London and the invasion of Egypt. » • • Apparently clarification of the Axis in.terests in Africa was one of the most important aspects of the talks, including the price payable for Spain s immediate entry into the war. The Germans _ declared that the elimination of Britain from Africa would follow the liberation of EgyDt, which would remain indepenlent if it does not fight against the Axis. Senor Suner apparently has been told Huntly the extent of Spain's territorial reward— Gibraltar and Morocco— will be governed by the degree and urgency of the Spanish co-operation.