ITALY AND THE BALKANS

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20955, 7 November 1939, Page 6

ITALY AND THE BALKANS

Italy’s exchange of Notes with Greece reaffirming the mutual desire for peace and neutrality, reports that Italy is attempting to organise a peace bloc in the Balkans, and the Italian statement that no change has taken place in the “axis” relationships are the only outward and visible signs of the intense diplomatic activity southeastern Europe which may yet have a strong influence on the development of the war. But throughout the Balkan region there is less evidence of the strain which in the earlier days of the war seemed to possess the elements of a major disturbance. Turkey’s firm adherence to the pact with Britain and France has buttressed the whole Balkan position, and Italy’s reaction to the Russian advance into Poland has added a further stabilising influence. There seems to be no doubt that Italy is strongly opposed to any further incursion by the Soviet or by Germany, and the natural result is a rallying of the several smaller States round Italy in an endeavour to preserve their neutrality and independence. Rumania is the key point. While Germany has made agreements with the Rumanian Government, securing a considerable portion of the country’s export trade, Germany desires more, and it seemed at one stage that an invasion of Rumania was imminent. There has for some time been a lull in the storm, and it is not improbable that the designs of both Russia and Germany have been checkmated. Italy at present wields a powerful influence which she does not seem likely to throw away by any rash allegiance with the belligerent countries. She states officially that her relationship with the axis has not been changed, but that is the first mention of the axis since the outbreak of war. And the fact that the axis arrangement has not been actually disrupted is probably due to the caution which Germany has exercised in avoiding action that would clash with Italy’s vital interests. An attack by Germany upon Rumania or other of the Balkan States might easily precipitate a crisis between Italy and Germany, and that fact might account for the noticeable lessening of Germany’s truculence in the Balkan area. Contrary to the usual experience, the Balkans are on this occasion maintaining neutrality and independence longer than the Powers to the west, and they may yet succeed in avoiding the horrors and hardships of the war.