HITLER’S DEMANDS

Waikato Times, Volume 128, Issue 21356, 26 February 1941, Page 5

HITLER’S DEMANDS

YUGOSLAVIA PRESSED CESSION OF TERRITORY ACCESS TO SALONIKA (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) LONDON, Feb. 25 The demands made by Hitler on Yugoslavia when he met the Yugoslav Premier and Foreign Minister , i't Berchtesgaden on February 14, are, according to well-iniormed Balkan diplomatic circles, understood to include first that Yugoslavia should maintain neutrality and refrain from any action hampering German military operations in the Balkans. The second point was that she should permit the use of the Yugoslav railways for transporting to Salonika German war material of all kinds, accompanied by troops or not at the option of the Reich. The third was that Yugoslavia should sign a special undertaking giving Germany and Italy binding guarantees about future foreign policy. The fourth was that Yugoslavia should allow the southern extremity of what was formerly Serbia to be militarily occupied for laying down aerodromes and other vital military appointments. The fifth was that Yugoslavia should overlook frontier violations and refrain from interning German troops who, in the course of military operations might be forced to enter Yugoslav territory. The territory referred to is chiefly the Varda Valley, below Nish. Offer by Axis In consideration of the fulfilment of these demands the Axis Powers promised first to cede to Yugoslavia the Italian Adriatic town of Zara, second to permit Yugoslavia to annex northern Albania and third to grant Yugoslavia a much larger free port at Salonika than the present one, Salonika itself becoming Bulgarian. The correspondent of the Times on the Yugoslav frontier, commenting on the demands, says the present inclination of the Belgrade Cabinet is to accede to the Axis demands, because if Yugoslavia were attacked i now she would inevitably suffer j mortal harm, especially in Croatia, j where the national defences are still | incomplete. ! If Yugoslavia defied the Axis she ! could only expect ruthless violation, since that attitude would effectually 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 the next. Discounted in London The inclination here is to discount the reports of the detailed nature of a German offer to Yugoslavia, which was stated to include the gift of an Italian Adriatic town, although it was in keeping with the German policy to offer people’s property to facilitate a temporary advantage. It is probable that German propaganda is behind these reports. Whatever the precise nature of the German offer, there can be no doubt that its acceptance would reduce Yugoslavia to the status of a German province.