BALKAN UNION

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 13, 16 January 1942, Page 6

BALKAN UNION

GREEK APPROVAL

Provision For Promoting Peace

And Prosperity

Bntuii o mora I WitPlfs-s. Rec. 2 p.m. REG BY, Jan. 15. Political, economic and military collaboration is envisaged in an agreement between Greece and Yugoslavia. which is seen as a concrete step towards the formation of a Balkan I'nion. The agreement is authoritatively said to have the warmest approval of the Greek Government. in London. With the fundamental principle of "The Balkans for the Balkan peoples'' in view, the kings of the respective countries concluded an agreement concerning the constitution of the union, and the plenipotentiaries named by tliem agreed to its i Itsposit ions. The organs of the union, which will meet at regular intervals, comprise the political organ, economic and financial organ, and permanent military organs, the tasks of which may be summarised as follows:—The political organ will co-ordinate foreign policy, both in normal times and when the exterior interests of members are menaced: it will prepare projects for conciliation and arbitration between members and menaced members: it will work for the intellectual co-operation and approachment of public opinion.

The economic and financial organ will elaborate a common economic plan prepare the ground for customs union and for a Balkan monetary union, and develop communications and tourist traffic among members.

The military organ will supervise the co-ordination of a common plan of defence and armament, the mission of the armed forces of the union being to defend the European frontiers of its constituent States.

The agreement further envisages meetings of Presidents of Councils of Ministers of State when required and general meetings of the same order between parliamentarv delegations of the States. The' agreement concludes that it presents general foundations for the organisation of a Balkan I'nion. It envisages "with satisfaction, future adhesion of other Balkan States ruled bv Governments freely and legally constituted." The agreement will be ratified as soon as possible.

The King of the Hellenes, proposing the,health of the King of Yugoslavia at a London luncheon, said that they were assembled to celebrate an agreement which solemnlv renewed and reaffirmed the bonds of friendship long uniting their two nations, and which manifested the will of both countries to live united and to assure, through the Balkan I'nion, the happiness and prosperity of the peoples of the peninsula in an atmosphere of peace.

He added that the treaty which had been signed represented the unanimous feeling of the people of the Balkans, and they considered their union to be in pursuit of the same ideal of libertv, peace and progress which would form the basis of a happier future, not only for the two countries concerned, but also for the whole peninsula. He was quite sure that the union afforded the best means to the Balkan peoples of serving their true political and economic interests, and the surest guarantee of a lasting peace.

King Peter of Yugoslavia, in reply, said that all far-sighted people were to-day aware that the new Europe which would emerge out of this terrible massacre should be so organised as to give greater guarantees and more possibilities for safeguarding the indepenclenc and freedom of European States and the normal economic development of their peoples. The agreement which had been signed represented, in his opinion, an important beginning for the realisation of a great political and economic unity in south-eastern Europe.