Evening star., 1939-12-16
Says 3 Years Was
Set as Period Of
No New Disputes
BY the Associated Press.

ROME, Dec. 16-Foreign Minister
Count Galeazzo Ciano declared to-
day Italy is staying out of the
European war by agreement with
her ally, Germany, and reaffirmed
Premier Mussolini's readiness to help
restore peace.
Count Ciano, in lengthy expla-
nation of Fascist foreign policy to
the Chamber of Fasces and Guilds,
disclosed that Germany and Italy
agreed at the Milan conference last
May. when their alliance was signed,
to avoid raising any question which
might arouse any new disputes in
at least three years, while both
countries completed their rearma-
ments.
The Italians regarded three years
as necessary for perfection of in
ternal reconstruction and completion
of military preparations, Count
Ciano said, adding that the Ger
mans estimated their period at four
or five years.
Will Guard Own Interests.
This agreement showed, according
to Count Ciano, that Germany and
Italy lacked any intention of dis
turbing peace. He went on to say
that Italy is determined to safeguard
her own interests.
Fascist Italy continues to follow
the development of events with a
vigilant spirit he said, ever ready,
If possible, to give once again her
contribution to world peace.
But she is equally determined to
protect, with an inf1eMble firmneSs,
the interests of her land, air and
sea traffic, not to mention her pres
tige and her future as a great
power.
This protection finds itself guar
anteed in the resolute and active
discipline OF the Italian people, in
the staunchness of our weapons and
in the will power and wisdom of
II Duce which are as high and Sc
cure as the destiny of the country
itself"
Duce Occupies Bench.
II Duce occupied a government
bench amid his new cabinet in the
chamber, crowded with Blackshirts
as his son-in-law blamed Great
Britain and France for Germany :
nonaggression pact with Soviet Rus
sia and the post-World War peace
treaties for Europes plight.
Count Ciano disclosed he had in
formed Adolf Hitler of Italys desire
to limit the war when he visited the
Feuhrer and German Foreign Min
lister Won Ribbenthrop at Salzbure
last August.
He stated Italy's opposition to
formation of a Balkan bloc of neu-
trail powers, contending such a step
would be useless, but he reaffirmed
the Italian policy Ito maintain and
consolidate peace and order in the
Danubian and Balkan sectors
Criticizes Negotiations.
The Italian foreign minister was
sharply critical of British French
Russian mutual assistance negotia-
tions, arguing they had resulted only
| AAA OAiS A1OAAoS CCoAOll NC.
tween Moscow and Berlin.
If the great democracies had only
| ignored Russia" he said, Germany
would have had good reason to do
likewise.
For what directly regards us, I
will say that the question had been
broached with the German govern
ment as far back as April and May
and that at that time he had agreed
to proceed to a policy of lessening
the tension with regard to Russia.
Our objective was to arrive at
naturalization of Russia and keep
her from entering the incirclement
lineup planned by the great DEM
ocracies
AT Salzburg I was apprised of
the fact that commercial negotia-
tions conducted in Moscow had pro-
ceeded favorably. giving rise to
hopes of further development.
And finally, on the evening of
August II, at 10 pm, Won Ribben-
trop telephoned me that he intended
to go to Moscow the next day to
sign a non-aggression pact between
Germany and Russia"
Berlin's accord with Moscow, he
said, was intended to assure Ger
many that Russia would remain
neutral and keep out of the "en-
circlement" with which Count
Ciano charged, the allies were try
ing to rim Germany in their un-
(See ROME, Page A-30