NAZI PRESSURE

Evening Star, Issue 23834, 14 March 1941, Page 7

NAZI PRESSURE

YUGOSLAVIA’S DIFFICULT POSITION CONFLICTING RUMOURS AND REPORTS BERLIN SAID TO HAVE PRESENTED DEMANDS Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright LONDON, March 13. it is stated in London that the Balkans situation is the subject of a flock of conflicting rumours and reports. The only concrete fact emerging is that over 1,000,000 men are now under arms in Yugoslavia, and the number is increasing. The official explanation of the calling up of men is that they are required for manoeuvres. Pro-German circles report that Yugoslavia has agreed in principle to sign the Tripartite Pact, but other quarters believe the Germans will not press for Yugoslavia’s signature because they are likely to court refusal. It is reported that'trains entering Yugoslavia from Greece are crowded with Germans, who state that they were told by their Consulates at Athens and Salonika to leave the country immediately. Frontier reports, reaching Belgrade say that large numbers of Italian motorised and mechanised units are arriving at Shkodra, most of them having come from Durazzo. The frontier traffic between Italy and Yugoslavia is almost at a standstill. A strip of territory on the Italian side three miles wide has been evacuated of all persons except property-owners. A Belgrade message states that Germany is reported to have presented a Note to Yugoslavia containing the following demands; — 1. The demobilisation of the Yugoslav army. 2. Complete German control of the Yugoslav economy, transport, and communications. . 3. The right to send war materials' through Yugoslavia, while reserving Rumania and Bulgaria for the transport of men. 4. The right to pass troops through Yugoslavia if this becomes necessary later. 5. Yugoslavia to sign the Tripartite Pact. BULGARIA'S IMPERTINENCE TREATMENT OF ALLIED DIPLOMATS (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, March 12. The treatment afforded the representatives of the Polish, Netherlands, and Belgian Governments by the Bulgarian Government after the occupation of that country by German troops can only be described as an example of cynical impertinence hard to equal in diplomatic history. When the occupation became an admitted fact the Bulgarian Government informed these representatives that “ in the present circumstances it would be as well that they should leave the country as soon as possible,” adding, quite contrary to the truth, that the Government had long since ceased to regard them as diplomatic representatives. When delivering this communication about leaving the country as soon as possible, the Secretary-General of the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry informed the Polish Minister and the Netherlands Charge d’Affaires that his Government was prepared to facilitate their journey to Poland and Holland respectively—illbred condnct only in keeping with the manners of the Bulgarian Government’s Nazi masters. ’ The British Minister, Mr G. Rendel, however, insisted that the Allied representatives should leave either before or at the same time as he himself. In fact, these representatives left Bulgaria the day before Mr Rendel departed, and arrived safely at Istanbul. DUNEDIN BOY IN BELGRADE GABLE FROM MR NORMAN DAVIS Mr J. J. Davis, of Dunedin, has received cable advice from Belgrade from his son, Mr Norman Davis (former Rhodes Scholar), who was a member of the British Legation in Sofia, that he has been transferred temporarily to Belgrade, and that later he will be attached to the British Embassy at Istanbul. TAKEN TO GIBRALTAR FRENCH MERCHANT SHIP MADRID, March 12. It ts reported from Algeciras that British warships intercepted a French merchantman of about 1,500 tons and escorted it to Gibraltar. ARRIVAL IN LISBON SURVIVORS OF TORPEDOED SHIPS LISBON, March 12. Sixty-three survivors of British ships recently torpedoed in the Atlantic landed to-day from a Portuguese ship.