Rome, October 28, 1940
3:00 A.M.
The Italian Government has repeatedly noted how, in the course of the present conflict, the Greek Government assumed and maintained an attitude which was contrary not only with that of normal relations of peace and good neighborliness between two nations, but also with the precise duties which were incumbent on the Greek Government in view of its status as a neutral country. On various occasions the Italian Government has found it necessary to remind the Greek Government to observe these duties and to protest against their systematic violation, particularly serious since the Greek Government permitted its territorial waters, its coasts and its ports to be used by the British fleet in the course of its war operations, aided in supplying the British Air Forces and permitted the organization of a military information service in the Greek archipelago to the detriment of Italy.
The Greek Government was perfectly aware of these facts, which several times formed the basis of diplomatic steps on the part of Italy, to which the Greek Government—which should have taken consideration of the grave consequences of its attitude—failed to respond with any measure for the protection of its own neutrality, but, instead, intensified its activities of aiding the British Armed Forces and its collaboration with Italy's enemies.
The Italian Government has proof that this collaboration was planned for by the Greek Government and was regulated by agreements of a military, naval, and aeronautical character. The Italian Government does not refer only to the British guarantee, accepted by Greece as a part of the program of action directed against Italy's security, but also to explicit and precise commitments undertaken by the Greek Government to put at the disposal of the powers at war with Italy important strategic positions on Greek territory, including air bases in Thessaly and Macedonia designed for an attack on Albanian territory.
In this regard, the Italian Government must remind the Greek Government of the provocative activities carried out against the Albanian Nation, together with the terroristic policy it has adopted toward the people of Chameria and the persistent efforts to create disorders beyond its frontiers. For these reasons, also, the Italian Government has constantly—but to no avail—found it necessary to remind the Greek Government of the inevitable consequences of its policy toward Italy.
All of this can no longer be tolerated by Italy. Greek neutrality has been continuously becoming a mere shadow. The responsibility for this situation lies primarily on the shoulders of Great Britain and its aim to involve ever more countries in the war. But now it is obvious that the policy of the Greek Government has been and is directed toward transforming Greek territory—or at least permitting Greek territory to be transformed—into a base for war operations against Italy. This could only lead to armed conflict between Italy and Greece, a conflict which the Italian Government has every intention of avoiding.
The Italian Government, therefore, has reached the decision to ask the Greek Government—as a guarantee of Greek neutrality and as a guarantee of Italian security—for permission to occupy with its own armed forces several strategic points in Greek territory for the duration of the present conflict with Great Britain. The Italian Government asks the Greek Government not to oppose this occupation and not to obstruct the free passage of the troops carrying it out. These troops do not come as enemies of the Greek people, and the Italian Government does not in any way intend that the temporary occupation of several strategic points, dictated by special necessities of a purely defensive character, should compromise Greek sovereignty and independence.
The Italian Government asks that the Greek Government give immediate orders to the military authorities that this occupation may take place in a peaceful manner. Wherever the Italian troops may encounter resistance, this resistance will be met by armed force, and the Greek Government would have the responsibility for the resulting consequences.
