THE BALKANS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2850, 28 October 1908, Page 19

THE BALKANS.

OUTLOOK PROMISING. AN UNFAVOURABLE DEVELOP- , MENT. BULGARLVS INDEPENDENCE. TURKO-BULGARIAN NEGOTIATIONS. LONDON, October 20. The Paris Temps states that on SaturJday Prince Ferdinand of Bulgaria, through "the, French Minister at Sofia, telegraphed to President Fallieres an announcement of his pacific intentions and his determination to come" to an agreement with Turkey and to adopt the principle of comjtensation. . M.' Pichpn then informed the Turkish Ambassador, " who communicated with Stamboul, thus stopping the mobilisation of, troops. Renter's Constantinople correspondent reports that Turkey- is showing a disposition to avoid a conference. She has negotiated direct with Austria', and Bulgaria. The .latter is disposed to negotiate direct with Turkey regarding the Orient railway. ' ' October 21. ' The Athens correspondent of ike Central News Agency states that an encounter between Turkish and Bulgarian troops occurred at Djounnaya. Seventy Bulgarians and 10 Turks were killed. It is also rumoured that a Bulgarian band, while attempting to enter Turkey, sear Palanka, was annihilated. King Edward^ in replying to the Emperor Francis Joseph's notification of the annexation of Bosnia-Herzegovina, feiterated his assurances of sincere friendship. M. Dimitroff, Councillor to the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on« of the delegates sent to Constantinople, is persona grata fo Turkish official circles. In the House of Commons Sir E. Grey * declined to discuss the question 'of the Dardanelles beyond saying that if the question of opening the strait to Russian warships was raked the Government would see that British interests were not injuriously affected. October 22. - The Times' Belgrade correspondent learns authoritatively that Servia's decision fo demand territorial compensation from Austria is irrevocable. - „ Speaking in the House of Commons, Sir E. Grey declared that the object of the communications which were proceeding between the Powers is to secure some agreement regarding the programme- oi the conference, which is- d-esigned to settle the differences without widening the area of disturbances. As- Turkey was most adversely affected the British Government trusted that the first object oi the Powers •would fee to secure compensation for Turkey to safeguard her interests, and to strengthen the new regime. Turkey's approval was a necessary condition to the adoption of any programme. October 24. • The Times' Belgrade correspondent telegraphs that the> irreducible minimum Qf Servia's demand is autonomy for Bosnia-Herzegovina and territorial compensation for Servia. It is declared on all hands that unless both demands are conceded war will be ultimately inevitable. * Reuter's Vienna correspondent states that information received indirectly from official sources confirms the report that Turkey, acting under British influence, has resumed direct negotiation with AustriaHungary, and also the report that Bulgaria has decided to leave the pending differences to the conference. • Austria has resolved to attend the conference only wlien the annexation oi Bosnia-Herzegovina i« registered as an accomplished fact. * The Stand4rd's New York correspondent cays that Germany supports Austria in this attitude, and has decided to adopt the same course. - PARIS. October 23. French advices from Constantinople bay that M. DimitTofFs mission has failed, and that diplomatic circles are pessimistic. Turkey's military preparations have been resumed as a precaution. ' BERLIN.. October 20. The Kaiser read his speech at the opening of the Prussian Diet. He declared

?bat the empire wa& ml faithful co-opera-tion with her allies to work for a peaceful and equitable Eolation of the difficulties that had arisen in the Near Bast. October 26. M. Milovanovitch. has informed M. Isvolsky that Servia asks for a strip of land 12 miles broad and bounded by Novi Bazar on one side and by Bosnia-Herze-govina on the other, forming a buffer between Austria Turkey joining up Montenegro, and giving SeTvia an outlet to the Adriatic. Montenegro also seeks an extension. The Foreign Office has authorised the 6tatement that discussions between M. Isvolsky. Prince yon Bulow, and Herr tSchoen were very cordial. Both sides manifested a lively desire to exercise as tranquilising an effect as possible on thepresent situation, to avoid ssrious complications, and to promote an understanding between the Powers. Reuter adds that the chances of a conference are regarded hopefully in diplomatic circles. The Kaiser and Kaiserin entertained M. IsvojLsky at luncheon. i • -VIENNA, October 21. '• The Austrian aulihoritiea at Agram , forcibly detained and eearched M. Vukolitch', a Montenegrin Envoy Extraordinary, who was proceeding on a mission to the -King of Servia. > j After' M. Vufcolttch had been detained for seven hours, Baron Aehrenthal telegraphed orders to xeleasfr him. M. Vukolitch received an ovation at Belgrade. Addressing an Ausfcro-Hungarian Delegation, Count Esterhazy (?), on behalf of the Foreign Minister, stated that the Government regarded the new regime in Turkey with the greatest goodwill. He believed that the friendly relations between the two nations ha<i been strengthened since Austria had clearly defined her position. Austria had not received an invitation to attend the proposed conference or its programme. "It goes without eaying," said th-e Count, " that we will appear at the conference only if it does not discuss the question of BosniaHerzegovina, which must be settled between ourselves and' Turkey, and we expect to arrive at a satisfactory conclusion. Austi'ia 'S co-operating in regulating the differences between Turkey and Bulgaria pacifically. We are advised that the Powers would recognise Bulgaria's independence if Bulgaria fulfilled her obligations in regard to the Orient railway and Eastern Rouanelia. Austria did not concede to Servia the right to take up ' any position regarding the annexations, fljid' commended Servia to act more energetically in stopping excesses against An£trian subjects." October 22. Austria- has apologised for the regrettable detention" of M. Vukolitch. October 24. The Porie has Emphatically- informed Austria that the settlement of the annexation question pertains to the conference. ' The newspapers are angry at Britain's insistent attitude, and as.=ert that King Edward's recent v'sit to Revel has up&at the Austro-Ru^ian agreement l-egarding Macedonia, and has led to the creation , of the preiont dangerous situation in the Balkans. October 25. The cause of the difficulty between Austria and Turkey arises mainly from Austria's reluctance to take over that part of the Turkish debt which fall* to 80-nia. , | There are bitter attacks on Great [ Britain in the Viennese pros, which accuse her of bribing the Younjr Turkey . party with loars in order to iirhice them to accept the British view of the conference ar.d to break oS direct negotiations , with Austria. ST. PETERSBURG. October 23. The Russian newspapers publish an elo- : quent appeal from a committee of Servian i women urging their Russian sistere to , raise their voices on behalf of the victims > ' of a monstrous aggression. , 1 I BELGRADE. October 21. ' j King Peter upbraided the Crown Prince for his intemperate provocations against ' Austria. The Prince tried to strike his r father, and then rushed to a mass meeting • of citizen? at Belgrade, declaring that the King must not be allowed to be an ' impediment to Sorvia's freedom. October 25. The Crown Prince of Servia is goini* to St. Petersburg on a mission to the I Czar-

j October 26. I At a- banquet given in honour of M. Vukotich (Montem-egrin Minister of Finance) King Peter of Setria., in toasting the health of Prance Nicholas of Montenegro, announced an alliance with Montenegro with a view to national defence. A women's league meeting at Belgrade appealed to tha women of Great Britain, France, and Russia for assistance, and , also advocated a boycott of Austrian ,' goods. j A crowd of 20,000 people afterwards gave an ovation at the British, Turkish, French, and Russian Legations, and to the Crown Prince Nikotich. SOFIA, October 21. Bulgaria has cent two commtiseioners to , Constantinople to endeavour to settle the j difference* before the holding of the conference of the Powers. October 24. M. Dimftroff, councillor to the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, informed the New York Herald's correspon- . dent that he has concluded a verbal agree- ' ment "With Kaimil Pasha whereby Turkey ' recognises the independence -of Bulgaria,, j and th« latter consents to a mixed com- | mission, to settle financial questions, in1 eluding;- tribute.' The* conclusions of the ! commission will be submitted to a confer- ! ence't of the Powers: '• ; M. Bimitroff predicts that the Turkishi Bulgariah : ..entente will develop" into an " alliance-, t - CETTINJE, October 22. Prince Nicholas of Montenegrp, in the course of a heated address to the people, called upon Montenegro to expend the last drop of her blood in the Servian cause. , H# announced that he had sem a note !to the Powers claiming compensation if the annexation of Bosnia-Herzegovina be persisted in. • October 23. Pi'ineesses Enia and Vera headed a procession of ladies in the streets of i Cettinje carrying banners and singing j v>-arlike sonars. CONSTANTINOPLE, October 22. Twenty thousand Asiatic reserves are expected at Constantinople. They will be placed on the Bulgarian frontier for training. High officials at Stamboul are confident of reaching an amicable arrangement with Bulgaria, but Austria refuses to agree to the principle of a conference unless the Porte agrees not to raise the question of the annexation of Bosnia-Herzegovina. October 23. Kaimil Pasha (Grand Vizier) insists that ! Bulgaria must furnish compensation for I the cessation of the Roumelian tribute, j M. Malinoff (the Bulgarian Premier) dei clares that the proclamation, of indepen- ! dence involved a cessation oi the tribute. October 26. Kiamil Pasha, on being interviewed, said the Turko-Bulgarian negotiations were progressing. -He added that he hoped that mow M. Dimitroff and M. Stoyanovitch had returned to Sofia, new delegates — perhaps Prince Ferdinand himself — would come to Constantinople to continue the negotiations. NEW YORK, October 22. The Herald's Constantinople correspondent states that. Turkey has broken off ! negotiations with Austria by declining to I recognise the annexations as an acconi- | pished fact.