THE BALKANS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2861, 13 January 1909, Page 19

THE BALKANS.

I ' . MISUNDERSTANDING CLEARED UP. VIOLENT ATTACK ON BRITAIN. . REASSURING NEWS. VIENNA, January 7. The Neve Freie Presse, in an extraordinarily violent aiticie on Britain, declares that Britain pretends to be peaceful, but ' etirs the nre at Belgrade and incites a i boycott, ruining industry. It says that j Britain's hootility to Austria-Hungary is \ intended to demonsrrate the danger of any country standing by Germany, and* it affirms that Britain drops poison into the ears "of the Servian Ministry and continually lays new traps for Austria at Constantinople. January 8. A .deadlock in connection with th» negotiations between Austria and Turkey and also in connection with the conference- causes misgiving. BELGRADE, January 5. M. ililoviKOvitch's (Minister of Foreign Affair) speech in the Servian Parlia- -• msnt, practically telling Austria that she had no rightful status in the Balkans and! nccusing Austria of making slaves of the two. annexed Servian countries, has provoked general resentment in Austria, an<l 31. Forigach (Austrian Minister, at Belgrade) has been instructed to inquire wh?th,2r the last-named renmk was correctly leported. II so, a demand for an ample apology will be made. It the i*epait is authentic and no apology is mada the Minister will quit Belgrade. January 6. M. Milovanovitch has informed M. Forgach that the Austrian press ha* mistranslated his speech. He merely declared that Austria's Balkan mission in the first stage tended to the subjection of the Serb provinces, whereas Russia meanwhile contributed to the creation of free Balkan States. He claimed that the speech was pacific. The incident is closed. January 10. M. Milovanovitch (Servian Minister of Foreign Affahs) has a^urad M. Forgnch (the Austrian Minister) that his recent" speech in Parliament had no aggressiva tendency, and he regretted that it -ui't been interpreted in a hostile t^ose. 1 CONSTANTINOPLE, January 5. The prospects of an understanding between the Porte arid Bulgaria are hopeful. January 7. A movement has been initiated at Constantinople and a committee foimed to boycott Grc-ek -goods if the Athens Cabinet encourages the reopening of the Cretan question. January 11. The Turkish Grand Vizier i.- impressed by Austria's offer to pay £2,500,000 as compensation for the old State domains in Bosnia-Hed-zegovina, besides consenting to tlie Turkish Customs being iocrea'seil to 15 per cent. The domains consist' chiefly of 5,000,000 acres of forest land, also mines for salt, brown coal, copp?r, tin, quick&ilver and sulphur. LONDON, Janaury 7. The Times' Vienna correspondent says that the article has caused considerable «-ensation. There is strong reason to believe that it represents Baron Aehrenthal's personal views. The correspondent adds:, '" The majority of Auptiians of my acquaintance deplore it, some terming it crazy." - BERLIN, January 6. The Deutsche" Revue, in an aiticle mentioning the foreign- attempts made to weaken Austria and Germany by producing internal dis&ension, declares that this waii illustrated in the case of Germany by the effects of a newspaper aiticle containing antiquated accusations cunningly put together. Yesterday's Berlin newspaper.* note th^'a reference to an interview published in Jxmdon in November, ard describes the Revue article as tho Empaicr'? message.