The Italian Threat to Greece
The German desire to avert a geneial conflagration in the Balkans no doubt extends to Greece, but the Nazis have to take account of the fact that, apart from Somaliland, Italy has got little out of the war except bombardments from the R.A.F. The Italian Press continues to fulminate against Greece, accus- ing her of organising atrocities against the Albanians, and demanding a revision of frontiers in favour of Albania—which, of course, means in the interests of Italy. Italian troops have been moved from the north to the Greek frontier, and it is rumoured that reinforcements are arriving across the Aegean. Greece, resolved not to yield territory, has the assurance of all the help that Britain can give if she is forced into war ; and Turkey, also, though not by the terms of the Balkan Pact com- pelled to help in the event of an attack by Italy, appears to have given assurances that she is ready to go beyond benevolent neutrality. Turkey's action will necessarily be governed by the attitude of Russia, but the Soviet Government has no desire to see Italy establishing her authority in the southern Balkans by seizing Epirus and threatening Salonica. Yugoslavia has also been receiving attentions of a menacing kind from the Italian Press, and feels herself in scarcely less danger than Greece. She is maintaining her close relations with Turkey. If the Italians go too far they may find that they have roused a hornets' nest ; Germany therefore is likely to discourage Italy from pressing her claims to the point of war.
