BALKAN OUT-BURST

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 249, 17 October 1908, Page 5

BALKAN OUT-BURST

'- ■■■» ;■.'-,-. — ANGLO-RUSSIAN AGREEMENT. l ' ,— — s SCOPE OF THE CONFERENCE. i • i UMTI'ED TO TREATS VIOLA- ' TXOHB. (By Cable.—Press Aseociatloa.— Copjrl e st.; LONDON, October Iβ. •t ' T h , c exchan S e of views between M • Isvolsky and Sir Edward Grey has ied ! Year cZ P t? a « reement «BMdi»g tne , Near East. It was agreed that a confer--2f ri »«?«aiy. but to ensuresuc- . ess reaffirming respect for the la w of , njured, the conference should be limited I W scope to deal exclusively with ques ' 5wy a 0 f ° f Vio,atiOnß ° f the "The first object of the conference is to secure compensation for Turkey. On this point there seems tp be a general agreement among the Powers. Provision must jUso be made for effectively strengthening the present regime in Turkey, which affords the best safeguard for the maintenance of peace. "It is likewise hoped that means will be found to meet the reasonable wishes of the smaller Balkan States, but not at i Turkey's expense. "There is good reason to believe that the Cretan question will be satisfactorily dealt with, although provisionally excluded from the scope of the conference. ' It is hoped that the moderation, reasonableness, and disinterestedness of these views will commend them to the signatories. "It is not intended to submit the question of the Dardanelles Straits to the conference, it being a question in which Russia and Turkey are primarily concerned. There is no desire on Russia's part to settle it in any sense hostile to Turkey, or to seek for compensation, inasmuch as Russia enters the conference aa i one of the disinterested Powers." ,! It is finally declared that subjects arising under the Anglo-Russian Convention have been reviewed, and that the discus- : . sion proved an identity of the viewe of the two Ministers, which promised a continuance of the cordial and harmonious co-operation of the two Governments in ' the settlement of Central Asian questions. "The Times," in commenting on Russia's abnegation and self-restraint, says: —"It is profoundly gratifying to find ourselves side by siie with a new Russia in championing tbfc rights of a new Turkey." PARIS, October Iβ. M. Pichon (the French Minister for Foreign Affairs), interviewed on the Balkan question, said it must be solved by i the unanimous, equitable, and cordial agreement of Europe. The understanding between England, Russia, and Franco was closer than ever. PROGRAMME UNSATISFACTORY ILLUSORY COMPENSATION. (Received a.4.5 a.m.) CONSTANTINOPLE, October Iβ. A leading member of the Young Turkey | X>arty declares that the programme of the conference between Britain and Russia is unacceptable, and that the compensation is illusory. TURKEY AND BULGARIA. PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES. CONSTANTINOPLE, October 16. The Porte, in a circular to Turkish Ambassadors abroad regarding the military activity in Bulgaria, reiterates Turkey's .pacific intentions, but adds: "Should Bulgaria persist in her present attitude i Turkey will reluctantly be compelled to take precautionary measures, and would decline responsibility in the event of a conflict occurring."