GREECE AND ITALY
By DEREK PATM ORE
THE growing rapprochement between Greece and Italy is one THE
the few encouraging portents in an otherwise troubled Euro- pean scene. It is all the more remarkable when one considers that Greece suffered grievously at Fascist Italy's hands during the recent world war. But the Greeks have always been generous by nature, and there is little rancour in their characters. Even after the disas- trous Anatolian campaign which followed the first world war it was possible for the great Greek liberal leader, Venizelos, to make a pact of friendship with the victorious Turkish patriot. Kemal Ataturk, and to agree upon one of the largest transfers of populations affected in modern times.
Today the majority of the Greek people want to renew the former traditional friendship with neighbouring Italy. There have been many exchanges of views on this subject between the Greek and Italian Governments, and both in Athens and Rome it is felt in official circles that such a rapprochement would be of mutual benefit. Apart from political considerations, there are many economic reasons why a closer friendship between Greece and Italy could help both countries at the present morrient. Italy, despite her defeat, still has her heavy industries in the north, and the Greeks need industrial equipment and machinery badly. The Greeks also require Italian silk goods and glass. On the other side. Greece as a victorious Power has considerable exchange facilities abroad, and her business men are in a position to buy Italian goods should a commercial agreement be arranged.
However, it is the new alignment of the world political powers which is influencing the growing desire of Greece and Italy to forget past hatreds and tighten the links that used to unite them. Both Greece and Italy are Mediterranean powers with strategic positions which could be of vital importance to any belligerent in another world conflict. At the same time, they depend on Anglo- Saxon financial support for their final rehabilitation. Signor de Gasperi has returned from Washington with the promise of substantial economic aid and the hope of increased American coal supplies. The Greek Government is also hopeful of obtaining an important American aid for rehabilitation since the Greek Premier, M. Tsaldaris, paid his recent visit to the American capital. Should both Greece and Italy receive American support it will greatly aid the economic relations between the two nations. But although the Italian Peace Treaty is in process of being signed and both countries desire a rapprochement, there are still a number of problems to be overcome before it can be an appreciable factor in Mediterranean politics.
The main stumbling block is the question of Italian reparations to Greece. When the Greek delegation to the Allied Reparations Commission was asked to present its final claim against Italy, the chief Greek delegate, M. Jean Politis, presented the enormous bill of $2,ocoo,000,000. In presenting these claims, which represented estimated damage, destruction of factories and property, dislocation of transport, etc., caused by Fascist Italian aggression and the en- suing occupation, M. Politis emphasised that "the Greek people are neither vindictive nor envious. We have no objection whatsoever to any alleviation of the countries responsible for the destruction caused, if it can be obtained otherwise than at our own expense. What we ask is that our case be considered before that of the aggressors, and that the treaties intended to redress the evils of aggression do not degenerate into a mere condemnation of the victim." During the same session of the Allied Reparations Commission, M. Poliris, replying to the suggestion of the Soviet delegate, M. Vishinsky, that the Soviet Union claim of $too,000,ono from Italy represented only a twentieth part of the damage suffered by the Soviet Union as the result of Italy's participation in the aggression against U.S.S.R., pointed out that the Greek clam was so much larger because of the following facts : (1) Italy employed for her act of war and aggression against Greece a military force which, at the critical moment of the struggle, reached the figure of 500,000 men. (2) The Italian campaign against Greece lasted approximately one year longer than the Italian forces' campaign against the Soviet Union. (3) Even after the Italian Armistice a contingent of 50,000 Italians—impenitent Fascists—repudiated the capitulation and join- ing forces with the Germans continued their work of devastation in Greece.
In presenting these claims Greece had little hope that they would all be met. Today the Greek people have seen how the Greek territorial claims for the Northern Epirus and against Bulgaria were dropped at the Paris Peace Conference. But they still expect a con- siderable sum from Italy when the Italian Peace Treaty is published. Greek Government circles in Athens are now resigned to receiving much less than was expected, but the finally published figures of Italian reparations to Greece will probably disappoint the Greek people and cause a mood of momentary bitterness. On the other side, the Italian people are already registering open discontent with their own peace-treaty terms. Still, whatever the momentary feelings and moods of the Italian and Greek peoples, there is no doubt that both Rome and Athens desire a rapprochement.
A special Italian envoy, Count Guidotti, with diplomatic status, has been working in Athens since last summer preparing the way, and when I saw him in the Greek capital he said he was extremely satisfied with his talks with various members of the present Greek Government. Count Guidotti told me that M. Tsaldaris was an open advocate of the rapprochement ; and that during his (Count Guidotti's) travels round the Greek countryside he had found practically no bitterness against the Italians. Rather, the Greek peasants had gone out of their way to be friendly and had often remarked to the Count that, as both Italy and Greece were Mediter- ranean countries and also neighbours, it was their duty to be co-operative.
The coming months will show whether the present efforts of both Rome and Athens will bring permanent results. Mean- while, it is encouraging to record that the two nations who first showed Europe how to be civilised should again be giving us a lesson in tolerance and realistic politics. The basic negotiations have already taken place. All well-wishers for European peace must now hope that the means will be found whereby Greece and Italy can finally settle their outstanding and often small grievances and renew the traditional friendship and the fundamental sympathy that has always existed between these two gifted Mediterranean peoples.
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