GERMAN DEMANDS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 61, Issue 147, 3 April 1941, Page 5

GERMAN DEMANDS

REPORTED ACTION IN BELGRADE YUGOSLAVIA REJECTS ONE. NEARLY FULLY MOBILISED (United Press Association—Copyright) LONDON, April 2. The Belgrade correspondent of “The Times” reports that 1,200,000 Yugoslavs are already under the colours and there should he 1:500,000 men when full mobilisation is completed. This can be expected in a day ..or two. Little is known about German preparations. The Lufthansa has resumed its services. There must bo more than 300,000 Gorman troops and considerably more **thnn 600 aircraft in Bulgaria, but the Luftwaffe will doubtless still need time to settle down. The chief German military concentrations are round Petrie and Nevrokop, at the bead of, the Struma and Mosta valleys. There ai’o also considerable forces round Svilengrad and serious concentrations round Kustendil, but the main forces are directed against Greece.

At the moment, says the correspondent, it is difficult to see where Germany can find, more troops without weakening other fronts, as she is reckoned to have no more than 40 divisions available for a Balkan campaign.

Troop Movements in Hungary. It is believed that important movements are occurring in Hungary. It is reported that seven or eight divisions are moving from the region of Arad and Temesvar in Rumanian Banat to the neighbourhood of Szeged, which is an important railway junction. The correspondents adds that the Gorman Minister to Yugoslavia (von Heeren) had a long conference with M. Nincic, the Yugoslav Foreign Minister, before going to Berlin on Monday night. He is reported to have presented three demands : (1) An apology for recent incidents. (2) Ratification of Yugoslavia’s signature of the Tripartite Pact. (3) Demobilisation of the . Yugoslav forces.

Yugoslavia is reported to have replied that an apology is not impossible, and that ratification of some kind of Yugoslav-German non-aggres-sion pact, distinct from the YugoslavAxis pact, can still be discussed, hut not demobilisation. While there is no formal declaration of Yugoslavia’s foreign policy, various semi-official statements emphasise the country’s desire for friendship with all her neighbours “within the limits of possibility.”. -

It is significant that there is no longer talk about neutrality, except among narrow circles of adherents of the former Court, but there is absolutely no question of Yugoslavia taking any diplomatic or military initiative.

The correspondent adds that, the proclamation by the Prime Minister (General Simovic) calling on the people not to evacuate their homes is timely, because the public arc convinced that Avar is certain this week, and had begun a disorderly evacuation from towns. Trains Avere jammed and stations were packed.

Germans Crisis. The Belgrade correspondent of the “Daily Express” reports that many Jugoslav factories not working for national defence ha\ r e now been closed. Troops ai'o guarding others and some factories are being transferred southwards. Belgrade University has been closed and several professors more than 50 years of age have been called up. Workers at the British-controlled Trepka mines me also going into the army. Generally it seems that Croat troops are being drafted to the south and Serbs to the north. The Croats contribute about 300,000 to the army. A grave crisis exists betAveen Germany and Yugoslavia, said Berlin officials yesterday, Avhen the fury of German press allegations of Yugoslav terrorism against Germans suggested that the situation Avas rapidly reaching a climax. The Berlin radio declared that tAVO villages inhabited 'by Germans AA'ore seen burning from the frontier. Young Germans in Yugoslavia had boon shepherded into the forest, Avliore they Avere kept under strong guard, and persecution of Germans avas now systematic.

The Belgrade correspondent of “The Times” says that the Hungarian colony in Belgrade has been summoned home In* Avireless.

According to_ the Hungarian news agency, Yugoslav mobilisation Avill bo completed on Thursday. The main forces are concentrated at Nish, and troops and supplies are moving south without interruption. The Yugoslavs are mining roads along the Bulgarian border, and evacuating the border zone. ,

A Belgrade message states that the bridge betAveen Fiume and Susak is closed by mines, and residents in the vicinity have been ordered to evacuat their homes.

Italians Leave Dalmatia. An Italian liner arrived at Split harbour and took off all Italian residents in Dalmatia. '

The Italian Stefani Ncaa's Agency stated that women and children had begun to leaA'e Fiume, the Italian port near the Yugoslav border. The prefect has issued a decree forbidding employees of public and pm-ntc undertakings to leave Fiume Avithout a special permit. According to Hungarian reports, General Siihovie lias sent a. reply to Berlin on questions raised by the Germans . There is no official confirmation of this report. A meeting between . Serb and Croat representatives held yesterday is 1 ex-

ported to gh'e the lie to the German reports of friction . botAvoon the t-AVO sections. • ■ • ■'

A Croat spokesman declared that- all pending problems betAveen the Croats and Serbs could immediately he solved by reaffirmation of the 1930 Serb-Cront Agreement. As soon as this formal condition is satisfied, the Croats, will resist aggression at the side of their Serb comrades.