PEACE PROPOSALS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXIV, Issue 16192, 19 March 1913, Page 8

PEACE PROPOSALS.

ArpAiiENTLT the Great Powers have made up their minds at last to press for a settlement of the Balkan quarrel. ThGy propose that the new frontier shall extend from Midia, on tho Black Sea, to Enos, near the mouth of the river Maritza in the iEgean Sea, thus leaving the whole of the coastline of the Sea of Marmora and the Dardanelles in the hands of the Turks, as well as a fringe of country to provide a backing for Constantinople. The Powers reject tho demand of the Allies for tho payment of an indemnity by Turkey and add that they will themselves determino the fn to of the iEgean Islands and Albania. These terms, which evidently take for granted tho cession of Adrianople, are significantly explicit and it will not be surprising if the Turk 3 at any rate accept them readily. Skevket Pasha ■ 6aid some weeks ago that ho and his colleagues were ready to make the last possible concession .short of tho absolute humiliation and ruin of their country. "Wo havo given seventyfive per cent of what we were asked,"' ho said. "Wo hare given 160,000 square Kilometres. The whole question is now about two paltry square kilometres of land. We Turks are soldiers, not huclJsterers. The Bulgars have goz practically all our European Empire, but those grasping, hard-bargaining peasants want two kilometres more, and are going to war for those two kilometres." The War Minister was referring to Adrianople, which he said Turkey would never consent to relinquish. But the impending fall of the city probably has forced him to moderate his views on this point. Tho most that the Turks can hope to hold now is a mere European outpost for their Asiatic territories and the Powers are offering them that. The Allies for their part will be foolish if they press hopeless demands in the face of a temporarily united Europe.