Contacts with Germany - The statement made by Lord Halifax
regarding a possible visit to Berlin, together with the German and Italian comments on the Prime Minister's speech at the Lord Mayor's banquet on Tuesday; bring the question of some kind of conversations with both Germany and Italy - into the foreground of politics. It is clear that some step must be taken to ease -the tension prevailing in Europe, and there appear to be signs that the countries most concerned are ready for explora- tions which, as the Prime Minister most rightly insisted, must be carried on by informal discussions, not public declamation. Certain conditions are essential. Any move taken must be in complete harmony with the French, and conversations must be with both Germany and Italy, not one of them only; there must be no suspicion of any attempt to separate the two States or to test the Rome-Berlin axis. There are, in fact, different questions to be discussed with each of them, different misunderstandings to be dispelled and different elucidations to be sought. Italy, for example, appears seriously to believe that we contemplate action against her in some part of the Mediterranean area. With Germany the question of colonies manifestly arises. Nothing is in question as yet but prepara- tory contacts, and the fault that they have not been made earlier is not ours. But the possibility of taking a step forward ought to be explored, once more. If other business does take Lord Halifax to Berlin he would make an admirable envoy.
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