PROGRESS OF CONGRESS

Auckland Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 306, 23 December 1912, Page 5

PROGRESS OF CONGRESS

MAKING GREAT STRIDES.

AUSTRIA JOINS CONCERT. AN AUTONOMOUS ALBANIA. UNDER SULTAN'S SUZERAINTY AND EUROPE'S CONTROL. (By Cable.—Press Association.— (Received 11.15 a.m.) LONDON, December 22. The Belgrade newspapers state that the Turks are making excuses at the Peace Conference to gain time. The Allies want to force peace or to immediately resume hostilities.. M. Poineare, speaking alternately in the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate, hoped for an early settlement of the Balkan troyble, but if war resulted France would offer mediation. He anticipated that peace, when signed, would rest upon a solid basis. The Balkan Allies rose iv the name of justice and ( liberty, bespeaking France's goodwill in ; judging their work, while Turkey would ' retain a considerable empire enabling her to continue her fruitful relations with France. M. Poineare foreshadowed Albanian autonomy- under the Sultan's suzerainty and European control, with a free neutral port for Servia and means of railway communication, also under European control. An official communique issued emphasises the marked improvement in the international situation, and adds: "Austria, Mho hitherto maintained an attitude of reserve, has decided to come into line with all other Powers, and urge prudence and moderation upon Turkey." It concludes - . "Peace has made great strides in the last forty-eight hours." The Peace Conference sat for two hours yesterday. - The Turkish delegates stated that they were prepared to negotiate with the Greeks, hut as ? preliminary, they ask, on humanitarian grounds, for tbp rpvictualling of Adrianople and other besieger towns. The Allies' delegates replied that the question rf revietnalling was previously settled at Chataldja. and that it was outside the scope of the prespnt Conference. The Turks replied tbatthey must refer the matter to the Porte, and the Conference adjourned until to-morrow. The Constantinople correspondent of the "Temps" reports that Reched Pasha (one of the Turkish delegates) has been instructed to raise the question of the retention of Adrianople at the Balkan Peace Conference quickly, and to break off the negotiations if the Bulgarian delegates persist in the demand for the surrender of the town. The newspaper "Observer" declares that the Bulgarians are obdurate, and declare that, war is preferable to acceding to the request concerning revictualling of Adrianople. The Berlin newspapers are gratified at the results of Sir Edward Grey's initiative of the peace meetings in London.