BALKAN NEGOTIATIONS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23486, 25 October 1939, Page 8

BALKAN NEGOTIATIONS

With treaty relations between Britain, France and Turkey signed and firmly sealed, negotiations among Balkan countries to form a neutral block covering south-eastern Europe are reported to be in train. Turkey, Greece and Rumania appear as the potential parties, with Bulgaria hesitant. This is easily understood, if as stated, the basis of 'discussion would be the status quo, any revision of Balkan frontiers being ruled out. To regain from Greece and Rumania territory lost in the post war settlements of 1913 and 1919 has so long been a cardinal point in Bulgarian policy that it is never likely to be lightly renounced. The other three countries, with Yugoslavia, are the members of the Balkan Entente, which since the collapse of the Little Entente has been the principal instrument of policy in that part of Europe. The most important clause in the Entente is the first, by which the signatories "mutually guarantee the security of all their Balkan frontiers." However the force of this undertaking is •greatly reduced by a protocol which makes it clear that the mutual guarantee is Only against aggression by a Balkan State. The usefulness of this undertaking under present world conditions would be strictly limited, and it is natural to find the countries wishing for something more comprehensive. Two new features in the situation are that Hungary is suggested as a member of the block and Italy is represented as eager to be included. Suspicion of Hungary was the chief inspiration of the Little Entente, to which Yugoslavia, Rumania and Czechoslovakia belonged. A greater power, a greater menace, than Hungary now looms above the Balkan horizon, and this has doubtless altered feelings toward the land of the Magyars. This change of attitude, and the Italian overtures are new diplomatic features in an old situation.