British Warning To Yugoslavia, Bulgaria

Northern Advocate, 8 January 1948, Page 3

British Warning To Yugoslavia, Bulgaria

Markos Government

LONDON, Wed. GO a.m.).—Britain has informed the Yxigoslav and Bulgarian Governments that recognition of the Markos Government by any eastern country would be a breach of international law and a grave threat to peace, reports Reuters. The United “States today also officially warned Bulgaria and Yugoslavia that recognition of the new rebel Greek Government “would be clearly contrary to the principles of the United Nations Charter.”

Superior Government forces are driving the Greek rebels northward from Konitza and have already freed 16 villages from the short reign of terror, says The Times correspondent. However, he adds, the rebels are fighting stubborn rearguard actions at various points .to enable their main body to disappear into the fastnesses of the Grammos Mountains, whicn give them an escape route into Albania, where they can reorganise and recover. Two of their batteries were still firing yesterday from points close to the Albanian border.

LOSSES VERY HEAVY In the liberated districts newly-dug rebel graves have been found and prisonera describe their losses as very heavy. The rebel strength between Komtza and the Albanian frontier probably does not exceed 3000, but they are making determined resistance, says the Daily Telegraph correspondent with the Greek forces.

DIVISIONS ON BORDER One of their batteries is firing from the village of Fline, well inside Albanian territory. The Greek Government has told the United Nations and other friendly nations that eight Albanian divisions are concentrated in southern Albania near the Greek border, that two Yugoslav armies are near the border with southern Serbia, and that two Bulgarian army corps are near the Bulgarian frontier.