THE BALKANS.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13836, 23 February 1909, Page 5

THE BALKANS.

THE PROPOSED SETTLEMENT. Press Association-By Telegraph-Copyright PARIS, Feb. 21. The French Minister of Foreign Affairs has conferred with the British, German, Italian and Russian An.ibassodors, as to the possibility of collective proposals for the settlement of the Austro-Serb dispute. .CONSTANTINOPLE, Feb. 21. The Servian Ministerial crisis lias stopped Turkey's negotiations with Russia respecting the Bulgarian settlement, and the Russian indemnity payments. AUSTRIA WILL LOOK ON. EXCITEMENT AT BELGRADE. Received 9.35 p.m., Feb. 22nd. VIENNA, Feb. 22. Official circles in Vienna declare that Austria, will not assume the offensive. PARIS, Feb. 22. Austria's declaration is credited in Paris, but Servian provocations are apprehended. .LONDON, Feb. 22. The " Times's " Belgrade correspondent affirms that •M. Passitcli is the only Servian politician who refrained from using inflammatory language. Excitement is maintained at fever heat. The public have apparently overestimated the powers of the panSlavian. The Montenegi'iiis are irreconcilably warlike, and ignorant of outside affairs.

In response to the. Porto's circular complaining of royal-'honours being bestowed on King Ferdinand at S'fc. Petersburg, Britain and France forwarded tranquilising despatches to the Porte declaring their entente with Turkey in the first, instance, then with others, must precede any recognition : of the independence of Bulgaria.

ST. PETERSBURG, Feb. 22

.M. Isvolsky informed the Ambassadors that King Ferdinand, had expressed a'desire to attend the funeral of his relative by marriage. M.■ Isvolsky .was" careful to explain, that: his reception as n sovereign did not imply a formal : recognition of Bulgarian ih'dependency, ■ which could follow only after Turkey's coi;'s-n't. ' .