PLANS IN BALKANS

Evening Post, Volume CXXIX, Issue 24, 29 January 1940, Page 7

PLANS IN BALKANS

RUSSIA AND GERMANY

CONJECTURE RENEWED

JAPANESE TALKS

LONDON, January 27.

Japan has heightened conjecture about Russian and German plans in the Balkans by calling a conference at Budapest of its Ambassadors from Rome, Berlin, Paris, and Ankara, all of whom are senior diplomats, and also from Berne and the south-easLern European capitals.

The Budapest correspondent of "The Times" says • authoritative sources assert that the chief item of discussion will be the effect of Russian and German threats to the Balkans oil' Japanese foreign policy.

Meanwhile, Turkey continues her' efforts to inject courage into the more timid of her neighbours.

The Ankara newspaper- "Yenisabah" says it would be better for the "small neutral countries to link up with the Allies than await, their- turn to lie invaded. Any self-respecting nation which cherishes its freedom should, immediately join the Allies, even if it1 is not prepared to fight as heroically as Finland.

The Prime Minister of Turkey, Dr. Saydam, said in an interview published in Istanbul that while Turkey was doing all she could to prevent the war spreading to Eastern Europe, no onecould be sure that it could be L avoided.

In Budapest the Foreign Office spokesman said. Hungarian policy regarding Rumania .was unchanged. Hungary was unable to forfeit her claims against Rumania, and the present complicated" position was the only thing that prevented Hungary from asserting her rights. However, it is confidently expected that *Ru- ' mania wi}l try .to reach a. settlement.