REPORTED REBUFF TO BULGARIA

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 203, 25 May 1944, Page 5

REPORTED REBUFF TO BULGARIA

Moscow Negotiations (Received May 24, 8 p.m.) NEW YORK, May 23. The real story behind the present Bulgarian crisis is that Bulgaria has been secretly negotiating with Moscow on the terms of Bulgaria’s withdrawal from the Axis and even joining the fight against the Germans. The “New York Times” Istanbul correspondent says he learns this from an unimpeachable source. He adds: “The Bulgarian envoy to the Kremlin indicated that Bulgaria did not care what terms Britain and America offered, but wanted to know whether Russia was ready to promise Bulgaria that she would get Macedonia and Thrace from Greece and Yugoslavia after the war. Such a promise would have resulted in an immediate revolution in Bulgaria against the German forces, thus weakening the entire German southern flank and saving thousands of Russian lives. However, Russia —perhaps for the first time in the history of this war —gave Britain and America positive proof of her political integrity by flatly refusing the Bulgarian overtures, adding that she would not turn over a single foot of Allied territories and that all territorial questions would be settled by the United Nations after the war.” iln ,.. - The correspondent concludes: Ims >s the greatest slap in the face so far to those attempting to drive a wedge, between Russia and Britain and Other reports from Istanbul say that the Bulgarian general staff has ordered the mobilization of all army reservists. Chemists, doctors, telegraph and communication workers have been ordered to report to the recruiting offices immediately. Travel throughout the country., particularly to and from Sofia, is restricted.