January 12-13, 1953
GREECE-ITALY: The Italian Prime Minister, Mr Alcide de Gasperi, who yesterday received members of the Greek press and foreign press corps at the Maximos Mansion on Herod Atticus Street, made the following statements in response to questions. He said Italy saw the treaty between Yugoslavia, Greece and Turkey as being aimed at strengthening the defense against a Soviet attack. He said he had no objection to the treaty, as long as it was within the framework of NATO (Ed. note: De Gasperi was raising a condition which Yugoslavia could not satisfy.) However, this treaty leaves a vacuum, which is the absence of a military agreement between Italy and Yugoslavia. On this point, de Gasperi made two important statements: First, that Italy was ready to extend its hand to Yugoslavia in order to begin cooperation once more and to find a just solution to their differences. And secondly, that Italy did not think mediation was required in order to resolve those differences (Ed. note: He was essentially rejecting a proposal by the Greek prime minister for Greece to mediate between the two countries.) FORERUNNER OF NATIONAL HEALTH SYSTEM: On Tuesday, January 12 at 7 p.m. at the British Council, Dr S.A. Doxiadis is to speak in Greek on the subject «The Effect of the British National Health Program on the Doctor and Patient.»
