SIR EDWARD GREY

Timaru Herald, Volume XCVIII, Issue 15120, 14 August 1913, Page 7

SIR EDWARD GREY

OX THE BALKANS PEACE. NOTABLE SUMMARY. OF THE SITUATION. Press Association—By Tel.—Copyright. LONDON, August 13. In the House of Commonß, Sir Edward Grey, Secretary for Foreign Affairs, in confirming the decisions regarding the Aegean Sea and Albania, said that the Concert of Europe was being firmly maintained. The great questions now occupying the Powers were the reocfcupation of Thrace, and the situifiSon in Maoedonia. The treaty of London provided • that Turkey shall withdraw from the frontiers and be given adequate protection of Constantinople. But for the intervention of the Powers the position might have been less favourable. Sir Edward said he spoke in Turkey's interests when he said the occupation of Adrianople might wreck her whole prospects if it compelled armed intervention by one or more Powers. Turkey should take their advice, otherwise she would incur vast responsibilities from which the Powers would be unable to defend her. Britain did not intend to suggest a revision of the Bucharest treaty. Received 10.45 p.m., August 13th. The majority of the Ambassadors were present in the distinguished strangers' gallery listening to Sir E. Grey's reassuring speech, showing that though the Powers were not unanimous there was not tendency to division into opposing camps. He declared that the Great Powers accepted the Bucharest settlement. Some favour modification, but it was futile to suggest, alterations unless the Powers suggesting them were prepared to use force. The Powers would not employ force to expel Turkey from Adrianople or Thrace, but Turkey stands to lose heavily if she refuses obedience to the voice of Europe. Millions of tho King's subjects are Mohammedans, but we cannot undertake to protect Mohammedan powers outside the British dominions from the consequences of their own acts. Incidentally Sir E. Grey remarked that London had been the clearing house of the Great Powers' opinion. The Ambassadors' Conference had turned many difficult corners. Every state in the Balkans in the last few weeks had disregarded treaties and agreements, and sought to take advantage of tho situation, but he refused to select any particular State for blame, and raise a hue-and-cry against it. Tho war, at the beginning a war of liberation, rapidly became a war of conquest, and ended in being a war of extermination. The conflagratior! had now burned itself out; everything ' consumable had boon consumed. Reforring to ■ tho war between. Bulgaria and her quondam allies, he said it was a melancholy exhibition of racial bitterness and human perversity; a more' distressing .spectacle had seldom been witnessed. It was impossible not to be apprehensive of tho future, and we could only 'hope that tho. Balkan States would grow in, the sense of responsibility and profit by'the hew opportunities, enabling thoni to secure their respective places in the world. Sometimes the Concert of Europe was criticised for not preventing -such happenings. Ho was afraid the Concert of Europe was not very 'sensitive to criticism. Sir E. Grey strongly entreated Turkey to observe the Treaty of London. The Powers, besides securing to Turkey a strong defensive frontier, had opposed a demand for an indemnity. He next warned Turkey and the Balkan States that if intervention was provoked it would not be intervention by Europe or a Power armed with an European mandate, but by some one Power, provoked to action in its own interest. OPPOSITION LEADER. ' COMPLIMENTS~THE MINISTER. Mr Bonar Law in a cordial speech, extolled Sir E. Greys services in the cause of peace. Sir E. Grey had been greatly helped bv the fact that he spoke for the whole na- I ton, and by British disinterestedness I throughout. His reputation for strai;;..,:forwardness and candour had j enabled him to make the most of these two advantages. Mr Bonar Law concluded by congratulating Sir E Grey on his success, adding that the House might feel .sure that the greatest of all .dangers, the danger of a European war, was gone.