DEMANDS MADE ON YUGOSLAVIA

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 85, Issue 48, 26 February 1941, Page 5

DEMANDS MADE ON YUGOSLAVIA

WHAT NAZIS WANT CONCESSIONS FOR RIGHT OF WAY [By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright] Received Feb. 26, 12.28 a.m. LONDON, Feb. 25. Demands made by Hitler on Yugoslavia when he met the Yugoslav Premier and Foreign Minister at Berchtesgaden on February 14 are, according to well-informed Balkan . diplomatic circles, understood to include: Firstly: Yugoslavia should mainta n neutrality and refrain from any action hampering German military operations in the Balkans. Secondly: Permit the use of Yugoslav railways for transporting to Salonika German wat material of all kinds, accompanied by troops, or not, at the option of the Reich. Thirdly: Yugoslavia should sign a special undertaking giving Germany and Italy binding guarantees about future foreign policy. Fourthly: Yugoslavia to allow the southern extremity of what was formerly Serbia to be militarily occupied for the laying down of aerodromes and other vita! military appointments. Fifthly: Yugoslavia to overlook frontier violations and refrain from interning German troops who are in the course of military operations and might be forced to enter Yugoslav territory. The territory referred to is chiefly the Varda Valley below Nishin. In consideration of the fulfilment of these demands the Axis Powers promised: Firstly: To cede to Yugoslavia the Italian Adriatic town of Zara. Secondly: Permit Yugoslavia to annex: northern Albania. Thirdly: Grant Yugoslavia a much larger free port of Salonika than the present one, Salonika itself becoming Bulgarian. The Times correspondent on the Yugoslavian frontier, commenting on the demands, says the present inclination of the Belgrade Cabinet is to accede, because if Yugoslavia is attacked now it would inevitably suffer mortal harm, especially in Croatia, where the national defences are still incomplete. If Yugoslavia defied the Axis she could only expect ruthless violation, since that attitude would effectively frustrate all the Axis demands. Balkan diplomatists believe the German advance to Salonika will start at the end of this week, or the beginning of next.