Chapter 1123 South Mediterranean Checks and Balances

Britain has an industrial base in hand, the Suez Canal stays open, and if we go for more volume, it won’t cost more than Italy, don’t look at Italy being closer to Libya.

Urbanization can directly lock up a country’s development ceiling if it is not supported by relevant industries.

Take Malaya for example, urbanization was built very early, if he had a slightly bad idea when he was High Commissioner, Malaya would be the route of Brazil and Argentina.

The reason why it can continue to develop, or rely on Britain’s subsequent transfer of industry, after all, is a colony, Britain is still able to swing, development steps a little mismatch, not a big problem.

Libya is even less of a problem, Libya’s population is only one and a half million people, as long as the capital of Tripoli and Benghazi two cities, established into the size of a county-level city. Most of the country’s population would already be accommodated, and urbanization would be complete.

Idris I was able to be persuaded, mainly by the rhetoric that centralization would help avoid revolutions and make it easier to control Libya’s long-standing tribal politics.

“Mr. Wilson, there have been recent rumors of British threats against His Majesty.”

At the critical moment, the media people, who had already been set up, officially kicked off the round of double-talk.

Bringing the topic to the point, about how His Majesty the King defends the interests of the Kingdom of Libya and defies the powers that be.

“A very pointed question!” Alan Wilson raised his eyebrows, then said according to the script, “Britain did not threaten Libya, it was my personal behavior. Even now, I don’t believe that Libya can complete urbanization and metamorphose into a North African Switzerland, although Libya has rich oil resources and a small population that looks somewhat similar to Switzerland.”

“But the weakness of the Kingdom of Libya is also very obvious, Libya is certainly not related to a strong country, a population base of one and a half million people, probably now equal to the number of French troops in Algeria. The idea of mass-armed national defense and Libya are certainly no match. And something like the British route to a lean army? It’s actually difficult for Libya, too.”

Alan Wilson opened his long speech, reducing Libya to a penny’s worth. The whole conference room found the sound very harsh, even the British journalists.

The long discourse of repression before the long discourse finally came to an end before this rhetoric, full of imperialist arrogance, irritated people to the extreme, “Still, His Majesty Idris I, has finally convinced me that a strong insistence on unequal distribution will not help to alleviate the situation, and that Britain is willing to give Libya a chance, and that we will provide some help. It is to be hoped that Libya will follow the Swiss path and cash in on the theoretical gifts.”

“His Majesty was adamant in expounding to me that he would certainly spend the share of the oil taken back to Libya on building it up. The attitude was so strong that I asked rhetorically at the time if I wasn’t afraid of the British landing?”

“The King’s answer was that he was afraid, but the King’s duty obliged him to do it; thank your King for that.”

Alan Wilson looked grave, as if he was really convinced by Idris I’s toughness, which was not the case at all; for most of the conversation, the two men only talked about the distribution of oil interests.

On the question of the distribution of benefits, Alan Wilson recommended Malta as a retreat for the Libyan royal family, which could be evacuated in flames in the event of the consequences of a revolution, pending British intervention.

In fact this was the idea of many national monarchs, he remembered that in history, when the Kingdom of Egypt and the Kingdom of Iraq were overthrown, the royal families of both countries had counted on the British army to protect them, and in the end, neither of them had counted on it.

Now, on the other hand, he assured the King of the Kingdom of Libya that Britain would try to preserve the existence of the Libyan royal family.

After he had finished speaking, Idris I spoke up, “Actually, there is no such thing as what Sir Wilson said, and I know that the Kingdom of Libya has a population of only a million or so people, which is not as large as a city in England. Libya is a peaceful country and has no ambition to establish an order of its own, my wish is to be able to get back the oil and get a guarantee for Libyans to live in a modern society.”

“Libya will definitely be a peaceful country, the benefits of the oil taken back will be invested in construction and education, and Libya will live in peace with all nations ……”

Only God knows how hard it was for Idris I, to make Prof. Alan Wilson’s words skilled. He has been on the throne for forty-five years and is now an eighty year old man.

But in terms of selling his appearance, Idris I is indeed a man of very deceptive appearance, like a highly respected prelate, when in fact he is really the prelate of the Senussi Order.

Idris I in the two countries in the presence of the media, guaranteed to take back the oil profits, the establishment of an oil fund, used to promote the development of Libya’s good education, completely a thick elders look, black-rimmed glasses is fueled by the credibility of the speech.

At the same time the two acted up to the media, the same city, re-wearing back to the attire in Europe, otherwise a black Arab robe, may let Paris come to the camera team misunderstanding, their bosses this is how it is.

“For you to come to Libya and shoot a documentary.” Hedy Lamarr, legs together, a ladylike posture, opened her mouth to the producer who came and commanded, “It’s to shoot a personal documentary on the King of Libya.”

For Alan Wilson, being the villain himself and then coming out with a documentary touting the spokesman of the Servant State’s imperialism had become sort of routine, he had touted Nigeria’s Benjamin Nnamdi Azikiwe before, and King Farouk I of the Kingdom of Egypt.

This time it was merely habitual, with the protagonist as Idris I. And in terms of selling, Idris I was indeed photogenic and very deceptive.

On this evening, in the streets of Tripoli, the people of the capital, celebrating getting their share of the oil back, held the flag of the Kingdom of Libya, held up a portrait of Idris I, and chanted Long Live the King ……

Alan Wilson was in his room at the Windsor Castle Hotel, his arm resting on the windowsill watching the scene.

“You Brits are contrarians!” Hedy Lamarr’s voice came from behind, followed by hugging the man’s back from behind, her face full of contentment.

“So what, if you have to make the other opponent a hero, you might as well get a controllable one.” Alan Wilson spoke without thinking, “Being a hero depends on what it takes, I got what I wanted anyway.”

The development of any place does not leave the factor of security, Malta, which is in the middle of the Italian Peninsula and Libya, the north is certainly not a problem, but Libya is going to be in chaos, it will also affect the security attributes of Malta.

If Malta is retained as a military base alone, Britain is bound to keep pouring into it. This was not Allen Wilson’s aim, he was hoping that Malta could in turn supply blood to Britain, and even if it could not do so, it would still have to strive for self-sufficiency.

Under the premise that France has suppressed Algeria, Malta’s future is promising, and the neighboring Libya, Morocco, Tunisia, and I believe will also be happy to be close to Britain to balance the oppressive force brought about by France’s annexation of Algeria.

Not only is Algeria a French colony, Morocco and Tunisia can be, today France can put down the Algerian revolt, who dares to say it won’t make a comeback tomorrow?

“History is written by people like you.” Hedy Lamarr’s gaze toward Allen Wilson was full of tenderness.

There were things that needed to be looked at with talent, like Hedy Lamarr’s face, being looked at by such a person with such a gaze, who would be able to endure this?

“How come you don’t age?” Allen Wilson reached out and caressed Hedy Lamarr’s cheek, and couldn’t help but sigh.

“Old too, but slower than the others.” Hedy Lamarr grumbled to herself, “Seeing Tyler is like seeing myself a few years ago.”

“Ms. Elizabeth Taylor, if I remember correctly, is not even thirty years old.” Allen Wilson suspected that Hedy Lamarr was changing her boast, though there was no proof.

Prior to arriving in Malta, Alan Wilson was carrying a halo; to the local British troops, this was Field Marshal Mountbatten’s son-in-law, and to the Maltese locals, his resume of having been the Administrator of Newfoundland was even more impressive.

“Lowering the threshold for registration and creating an offshore financial center is of course still not enough. I want to talk to the Italian government about mutual visa exemptions between the two places, Malta can’t develop without Italy’s friendly treatment. In fact, Malta should be visa-free to all European countries, and at the next EC meeting, the UK will push for this with all its might.”

“At present my aim is to obtain a friendly policy from the Italian government first.”

Alan Wilson spent two days in Malta and his main concern was, how is the unemployment rate in Malta now. The unemployment rate is not bad, but Malta is not Newfoundland, and with an area of more than three hundred square kilometers, it is indeed a bit barren.

However, the British ambassador to Morocco and Tunisia, one after another, good news, the two countries of France’s tough suppression of Algeria’s attitude of surface acceptance, but the heart of dissatisfaction. And also worried that France will use this to interfere in the internal affairs of the two countries in the future.

Tunisia, in particular, felt deeply the threat from France and expected more from Britain.

“I remember the border demarcation between Tunisia and Algeria, which was the source of conflict between the two countries decades later.”

Alan Wilson remembered at once, the arms race in North Africa in the twenty-first century, the protagonists are Algeria and Tunisia, Alan Wilson immediately called back to ask the ambassador in Tunisia can not reach military cooperation.

While he was completing his visit to Italy to test Italy’s views on the situation in the southern Mediterranean, the British warships in Malta, had already set sail for this friendly visit to Tunisia.