THE BALKAN PROBLEM.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 178, 28 July 1913, Page 4

THE BALKAN PROBLEM.

The most interesting development in the Balkans during the past week has been the active aggression °f Turkey and the re-occupation of Adrranople by the Sultan's troops. It does not seem probaWe that the Powers will permit Turkey to tako advantage of Bulgaria's ■weakness and keep Adrianopie, more particularly considering all the trouble, they took to arrange a basis of settlement between Turkey and the Allies after the city was captured. In fact, Russia is already threatening to occupy Armenia, so as to bring pressure to hear on Turkey, and compel her to withdraw her troops. But, on the other hand, it is clear that the Powers do not intend to allow Greece and Servia to humiliate Bulgaria too far, or to weaken her permanently. Roumania, having secured what 6he wanted is now inclined

to assist Bulgaria against Turkey, and at the same time she has warned Servia and Greece that they will not be permitted to occupy Sofia. But this is evidently not the outcome of an independent determination on Roumania's part, for Austria has informed Greece and Servia that if they will not desist she will authorise Roumania to take immediate action. The only improbable feature in this report is that Russia is coupled with Austria as instructing Roumania to assist Bulgaria against Servia and Greece. Of course, it is admitted that the primary purpose of all the Powers is to prevent any one of the Balkan States from securing absolute predominance in the peninsula; and it would not suit them to see Bulgaria overwhelmed. But even allowing for this, we can hardly conceive it possible that after the readjustments that have recently taken place in Bulgaria's diplomatic connections, Russia is now to be found acting in close co-operation with Austria to paralyse Servia and check the formation of that strong Serb State, which would be the best possible defence against further Austrian aggression.