TURKISH ARMED FORCES

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21418, 9 March 1935, Page 15

TURKISH ARMED FORCES

BULGARIAN FEARS i MASSING OF TROOPS GENEVA March 7. Dr. Antonofi, Bulgarian delegate to the League of Nations, to-day directed attention to the concentration of Turkish troops on the TurkoBulgarian frontier. If it continues, he said, it would necessitate an appeal to the League, but he hoped there would be a friendly settlement. He added that the Turkish forces in Eastern Thrace during 12 months had increased from one division of infantry and one of cavalry to lour lof infantry and one of cavalry, adjriitional to artillery aggregating 500 ' guns. The Turks were also recruiting irregulars designed to operate in Bulgaria in the event of hostilities and were displaying feverish activity. similar to that on the eve of the war, including the fomenting of civilian agitation against Bulgaria. while Turkish troops were oporil.v talking of an early offensive. They declare that Ihey could occupy Southern Bulgaria within 24 hours. Dr. Antonofi added that the Turks' reply to a Bulgarian protest declared that the "moves were made j to defend the Dardanelles." Dr. Antonofi' pointed out that if the Turkish concentration had followed the Greek revolt it would have been more explicable, as a warning to Bulgaria not to take advantage of Greek embarrassments, but it developed before Ihe Greek outbreak. Piquancy is added to the situation since Tevfik Rustu Bey (Turkey) is at present president, of the League Council. Meanwhile the Turkish Minister at Berne received newspaper men and ridiculed the suggestion of Turkish bellicosity He said Turkey, as a member of the Balkan Entente. was associated with Greece. The Entente could not be indifferent to Bulgarian troops' movements, at present being carried out on the Bulgar-Greek frontier.