BULGARIAN PRESS

Evening Post, Volume CXXXI, Issue 38, 14 February 1941, Page 7

BULGARIAN PRESS

EMPHASIS LAID ON STRICT NEUTRALITY

MR. CHURCHILL'S WORDS TRAVESTIED

(British Official Wireless.)

RUGBY, February 12,

For the first time since its delivery, the Bulgarian newspapers today comment on Mr. Churchill's speech and its reference- to the Bulgarian situation, and though a suggestion, is made that Mr. ChurchilL desires the country to "fight in the war on the side of Britain," the main emphasis is laid on Bulgaria's determination to preserve strict neutrality.

It is pointed out in London, however, that the Prime Minister never suggested that\Bulgaria was called upon to take an active part in the war on the side of the democracies. Mr. Churchill merely reminded Bulgaria that if she proclaimed herself neu-

tral she should avoid actions such as those which have brought Rumania to her present deplorable position, actions wholly incompatible with strict neutrality, which involves obligations as well as the establishing of safeguards.

So far the uncertainty as to whether these obligations have been fulfilled has not been resolved by the Bulgarian Government

In reminding Bulgaria of the territorial reductions which she suffered after the last war, Mr. Churchill's sole purpose was to dissuade her from adopting a policy which, however immediately attractive, is certain to prove no less disastrous today than it did a quarter of a century ago.