AXIS UPSET BY RUSSIAN COUP.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 153, 29 June 1940, Page 9

AXIS UPSET BY RUSSIAN COUP.

BALKAN DANGER.

Danube Outlet Vital To Germany. BRITAIN'S INFLUENCE SEEN. (Received 1.30 p.m.) LONDON, June 28. Hungary and Bulgaria are followin; up Russia's coup with strong hints of the satisfaction of their territorial claims against Rumania. Troop movements are taking place in Hungaria and Bulgaria, according to the Associated Press of Great Britain correspondent in the Balkans, but so far no official sources admit diplomatic approaches or threat of military pressure. The correspondent says Hungary has ordered a large-scale muster of reservists, and Bulgaria is reported to be calling up reservists and transferring her regular army from the Turkish i frontier to the Rumanian border. King Carol Against Force. King Carol is credited with expressing his willingness to negotiate "at a suitable moment" with Bulgaria and Hungary, but is determined to resist by force any attempt to repeat the Russian tactics. Meantime the Russian occupation of the ceded areas is proceeding. Russian armoured units have stopped Rumanian trains and cars, but have not impeded the stream of pedestrian refugees. The Sofia correspondent of the "Times" says it is evident that the Government is seeking to discuss the Dobruja with the Soviet. Fresh troops have been sent to the Dobruja frontier. Bulgarian and Russian recently have been strair.ed, but now it is believed Bulgaria is ready to accept Soviet proposals on economic issues, which, incidentally, are unfavourable to Germany. Germany and Italy Disgusted. Reports of German and Italian reactions to Russia's coup are confused. "The Times" correspondent at Sofia Rays German and Italian diplomatic circles are disgusted and are now warning the Bulgarian Foreign Office of "Russian danger." German sources at Berlin continue to express disinterest, but the Bucharest correspondent of the Associated Press of Great Britain says German sources in Rumania allege that Sir Stafford ' ,Cripps, the new British Ambassador at Moscow, has encouraged Stalin's action in order to detract attention from the west. The same sources openly declare that Germany will not permit Russia permanently to dominate the mouth of the Danube and Northern Bukovina, because of the danger of Russia blocking Germany's approaches to the Black Sea. "The Times" Belgrade correspondent states that "reportedly trustworthy" reports declare that Axis-Soviet relations are growing more strained.