Turkey Has Big Influence On Bulgar-Nazi Line Of Action

Northern Advocate, 13 February 1941, Page 5

Turkey Has Big Influence On Bulgar-Nazi Line Of Action

(Received! 2 p.m.) LONDON, February 12

THE certainty of the early german occupation of BULGARIA AS A SPRINGBOARD FOR THE DRIVE SOUTH AND SOUTH-EAST, OR BOTH, IS EVEN MORE UNRESERVEDLY ACCEPTED IN NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES TODAY, AS THE STREAM OF GERMAN TROOPS AND WAR MATERIALS CONTINUES UNABATED ACROSS HUNGARY AND RUMANIA.

Because the Turkish attitude is vitally important, much attention has been directed to discussion in Turkish diplomatic •circles, where it is assumed that the Germans, in the event of the occupation of Bulgaria, will adopt methods of causing the least alarm to Bulgaria’s neighbours.

To avoid provoking Turkey, German. occupation might be restricted to ! western Bulgaria, from which the Germans would be able to threaten Salonika if the Greeks resisted German pressure to make peace with Italy. Turkey Least Concerned. This would create, a military problem directly interesting to Britain, Greece and Yugoslavia rather than the Turks. Should Germany advance into eastern Bulgaria, towards the Turkish frontier, some Turkish circles consider that the Allies should move against Bulgaria from Thrace before Bulgaria is completely filled by Germans. Reuter’s Ankara correspondent says well-informed Ankara circles assume that neither the British nor Turkish general staffs desire action jeopardising defence 1 of the Straits. They also recognise that the strength of the Turkish army lies in the defensive rather than the offensive.

Anglo-Turkish Contact.

Meanwhile, the Turkish Government is maintaining close contact with the British Government, although it is reported that it is not yet convinced that a German march is imminent.

Turkish general opinion, however, has given up Bulgaria for lost. The Sofia correspondent of “The Times” emphasises the almost complete unanimity of Bulgarian official political circles that Bulgaria must stay out of the war, and that any resistance to the German army across the Danube would be suicide. Appeal to Turkey. Bulgarians, however, believe that the arrival of German troops may bring Turkish military action. For that means the Bulgarian diplomacy, both at Ankara and Sofia, is desperately attempting to secure a Turkish guarantee that German passage across Bulgaria would not be considered a casus belli against Bulgaria. ® According to Ankara information, German penetration in Bulgaria has net gone as far as Mr. Churchill suggested.

Bucharest Developments

The Bucharest correspondent of “The Times” says Hitler has made contact with the notorious Macedonian Committee in Bulgaria, whose chiefs are now in Germany or German-occupied territory. They are particularly hostile to King Boris, and, therefore, welcome tools for Hitler.

The Belgrade correspondent of “The Times” says that special measures have been taken in Bucharest against Turkish citizens.

Seven Turkish journalists are reported to have been arrested for possible connection with the murder of Major Doering. Increased passive defence precautions in Bucharest include an order to night patrols to shoot at sight all people not responding immediately. Guards at the British and Turkish legations have been trebled.