ENEMY TERRITORY

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 61, Issue 123, 6 March 1941, Page 5

ENEMY TERRITORY

UNDER CONTRABAND SYSTEM. BRITISH NOTE TO BULGARIA. THE BREACH OF NEUTRALITY. (United Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 12.45jp.m.) LONDON, Mar. 5. The Ministry of Economic Warfare announced that the British Government lias decided that it must now regard Bulgaria as territory under enemy occupation. From to-day, therefore, Bulgaria will be regarded as an enemy destination for contraband purposes, and all goods of Bulgarian origin or ownership will be liable to seizure. Mr Rendel (British Minister at Sofia) had a brief farewell audience with King Boris this morning. Announcing Britain’s decision to sever diplomatic relations with Bulgaria to the Premier (M. Filoff), and asking for his passports, Mr Rendell presented a Note, which stated that although M. Filoff had said the German Government has declared that the task of the German troops was to safeguard the peace and tranquillity of the Balkans, it was clear that the German aim was to menace and, if necessary, attack Britain’s ally, Greece. The Note added that the British Government was forced to concludo that the Bulgarian Government, far from desiring, to maintain neutrality, was now prepared actively to co-operate with Germany. Proof was to ho found in the Bulgarian Government breaking off diplomatic relations on Tuesday with Britain’s allies —Poland, Belgium and the Netherlands. Mr Rendel reminded M. Filoff that Britain was at war with Germany. Therefore she could not maintain diploiinatic relations with a- country which was not only harbouring a growing force of German troops, hut was also increasingly subservient to German policy.—British Official Wireless. BULGARIAN PREMIER WARNED. DANGER OF UNDUE CONFIDENCE. MUSSOLINI AS AN EXAMPLE. j ' (Red. 10.25 a.m.) LONDON, Mar. 5. Interviewed at Sofia, the British Minister (Mr G. W. Rendel) said: “M. Filoff seemed unduly confident in an Axis victory. I reminded him that Mussolini was confident, and suffered severely as a result. I told him that others might suffer.’-’ A Belgrade message states that the British Consulate advises Britons who are not doing 1 urgent business to quit Yugoslavia. Women on the Consulate and Legation staffs and their families are ready to leave. It is reported from Istanbul that 1700 Britons from Bulgaria are now in Turkey on route to Palestine.