BALKAN RUPTURE

Hokitika Guardian, 7 June 1927, Page 2

BALKAN RUPTURE

Australia ife N.Z. Cable Assoc ation. BELGRADE. June 5. Although the Albanian Minister here stated on Friday that Guirastcovitch (whose arrest as a spy in Albania was cabled on the Ist of June) had been released the Jugo-Slav Foreign Office has not received confirmation of this. It states, however, that Albania had offered to release hint provided that certain expressions in the recent Jugoslavian Note to Albania were withdrawn.

To this offer. M. Marinkovitch (Foreign Minister of Jugo-Stavia) replied that the release must be made uiteondi_ tionally. lie said that the other matters could be discussed Inter. Albania refused to agree to this. Consequently on the release not being made unconditionally, diplomatic relations were broken off, and the Jugo-Slavian Legations then departed from Durazzo (Albanian Capital) and Tirana. LONDON, June 5. The Times’ correspondent'says : The Albanians declare that the prisoner Guarascovitch. is a man of Montenegrin origin, and is now an Albanian subject. They state they were not notified of his connection with the Jugo-Slavian Legation. It is added that the documents of which the Albanians took possession on the first of June were most incriminating ones.

The correspondent comments: "Both .sides are most exasperated. The Albanians are particularly angry. They declare that only the violence of the note from Jugo-Slnvia on the matter has prevented the immediate release of the prisoner.” The correspondent further adds: —

"Hie Jugo-Slavs assert that the incident is one of the maiiv pinpricks which have been growing more frequent since the appointment of the new Foreign Minister, who is regarded as being in the pockets of the Italians. The situation is not immediately critical. Nevertheless, it has pastures that still remain unrevealed. Such secrecy is unprecedented and it consequently is believed that the reply is unsatisfactory. Diplomatic circles are uneasy, pending a revelation of seriousness.”