TURKEY AND GREECE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 61, Issue 41, 28 November 1940, Page 5

TURKEY AND GREECE.

BULGARIAN FRONTIER GUARDED.

PREPARING FOR EVENTUALITIES LONDON, November 27. The Ankara correspondent of “The Times’’ says that the Turks from the beginning favoured! Greece’s chances against Italy, but the Creek successes have exceeded the highest expectations. Turkey has contributed to these successes by protecting the Greek rear, thereby enabling the Greek High Command to withdraw all troops from the Bulgarian frontier to fight on the Albanian front.

It is reliably stated that there is not a single Greek gendarme on t)ie Bul-garian-Greek frontier. The impression is being strengthened in Ankara that Germany will not intervene in the Italian - Greek war. This attitude is at least partly a result of Turkey maintaining a strong , front jn Thrace. Reuter’s correspondent in Sofia says that Bulgaria-has decided to make big additions to her defences! .

The Minister for War (General Dasbalov),, yesterday introduced a new Defence Bill in Parliament, _ said that in view of the tense international situation, it was essential for Bulgaria to make secure her own defences. Great interest has been aroused in Balkan circles by the statement on Britain’s attitude to Bulgaria.

This statement was made by the Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs (Mr R. A. Butler), in the House of Commons. He said that the Foreign Secretary (Viscount Halifax) welcomed the opportunity of stating that provided Bulgaria does not join or assist either actively or passively the enemies of Britain, or" attack her allies, it is Britain’s intention to do her best to ensure that in any eventual peace settlement "to which Britain is a party the integrity and independence of Bulgaria will be. fully respected. The Istanbul correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph” reports that Turkey is pressing on with preparations for any eventuality. The Ministry of Commerce will shortly become , a Ministry of Commerce and Victualling, equivalent to the British Ministry of Supply, with the task of .accumulating stocks for military and civil consumption and also of distributing all kinds of commodities.

A permanent total black-out, the strictest evCr imposed in Turkey, will be enforced on Sunday, after which there will be exhaustive tests of passive defence. All shops, stores, official departments and private offices are being closed at 4.30 p.m. General Artunkall, formerly Com-mander-in-Chief of the Turkish police, has been appointed General Officer Commanding six zones in European Turkey, in which a state of siege has been proclaimed. He arrived in Istanbul yesterday, where he is directing emergency measures imposed under martial law.

His outstanding political personality emphasises the vast scale of Turkey’s military measures. The drastic preparations in the zones near Bulgaria and Greece added to these constitute the clearest warning to. the Axis and its satellites that the slightest move to imperil Turkey’s security and independence will be repelled by arms.

KING CONGRATULATES GREEKS.

(Deceived This Day, 0.5 a.m.) LONDON, November 27. The King sent a telegram of congratulation on the victory of the Greek Army to King George of Greece who in reply sent a telegram of thanks.—British Official Wireless.