DESIRE FOR PEACE

Evening Post, Volume CXXXI, Issue 72, 26 March 1941, Page 9

DESIRE FOR PEACE

WHY YUGOSLAVIA SIGNED

INTEGRITY ASSURED

RIBBENTROPS WORD

IN CAMP OF NEW ORDER

(Received March 26, 1.5 p.m.) LONDON, March 25.

After Yugoslavia had signed the Tripartite Pact today the Premier, M. Tsvetkovitch, said, "The chief, and almost the only aim of the foreign policy of Yugoslavia has been and has remained the maintenance of peace for the people and the safeguarding of their security. "Yugoslavia's interests and development demanded that soulh-cast Europe should be preserved from an extension of the war and that her economic position, Avhich was injured by the present situation, should be strengthened by economic co-opera-tion throughout the continent of Europe."

Yon Ribbentrop, in a note to M. Tsvetkovitch, confirmed, the agreement between the Axis Powers and Yugoslavia that during the war no demand would be made for the passage of troops through Yugoslav territory and that the German Government reaffirmed its determination to respect at all times the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Yugo-

slavia.

Under the terms of the protocol signed by MM. Tsvetkovitch and Markovitch (Foreign Minister) Yugoslavia adheres to the terms of the Tripartite Pact between Germany, Italy, and Japan, which was signed in Berlin on September 27, 1940. The protocol is worded similarly to those signed by Hungary, Rumania, Bulgaria, and Slovakia.

"IMPORTANT TO US."

Yon Ribbentrop, in a speech after the signing, said, "With iron legality in the middle of the war the new order in Europe and Asia is being

carried out. Yugoslavia's adherence is particularly important to us, first because practically the whole of the formerly neutral Balkans is now in the camp of the new order, second, Yugoslavia is now associated with us, although England always thought that she could mobilise her against the new order by interfering in Yugoslavia's inner policy. Even in the last few days, so I am told, England attempted to interfere in Yugoslav politics. These attempts can only be described as unheard of and are in nowise reconcilable to the respect due to the sovereignty of a free European State.

"I most solemnly declare that Germany has no territorial or political interests in the Balkans. Her immediate aim is only to prevent any foreign Power taking advantage of these countries for an extension of the war. Her final aim is the introduction of peaceful, just, and reasonable order in this important part of Europe."

Hitler later held a reception at the Belvedere Palace, where he heartily greeted MM. Tsvetkovitch and Markovitch, and talked to them for some time.

A Belgrade message states that a few minutes after Yugoslavia signed the pact a strict telephone censorship was instituted throughout the country, the first in history.

The Yugoslav public were told for the first time today of the country's adherence to the pact in special editions, which were sold in the streets in the afternoon.

In Moscow the Yugoslav Minister, M. Gabrilovitch, announced his resignation, which he telegraphed to Belgrade yesterday.