Rumania’s Peace Envoy Busy

Manawatu Times, Volume 69, Issue 62, 16 March 1944, Page 5

Rumania’s Peace Envoy Busy

MAIN PROBLEM GERMAN TROOPS Received Wednesday, 8.50 p.m. LONDON, March 14. Prince Stirbey, the Rumanian politician, spent his last day in Ankara before going to Cairo at the British Embassy, saysy Reuter’s Ankara correspondent. An official from the Embassy accompanied him to Cairo. The Times’ Ankara correspondent says that although Prince Stirbey does not officially represent the Rumanian Government he is in close touch with Mr. Maniu (the Peasant Party leader) and other political leaders. The fact that he was allowed to leave Rumania confirms the impression that General Antonescu (the Rumanian dictator) approves of the mission. Therefoio, despite the vagueness with which the mission is necessarily surrounded it is genuine and has nothing in common with the previous unauthorised efforts to make contact with the Allies. It is believed that Prince Stirbey’s proposals are, firstly, the cession to Russia of Bessarabia and part of Bukovina; secondly, a request for Russian assistance for the recovery of Transylvania; and thirdly, guarantees ior Rumania’s independence and integrity. Similarly to Finland the main problem will be the German troops in Rumania. The Istanbul correspondent of the Daily Telegraph, says that Rumanian generals are said to have hastily convened a meeting at which they decided to ask General Antonescu to order the immediate withdrawal of all Rumanian troops from the Russian front and to prepare to defend the Homeland. The generals urged the setting up of a defence zone along the line of the River Pruth :o cover the Rumanian oilfields. No great expectations are placed in London in the reported journey of Prince Stirbey to Turkey to inquire about the terms cf peace for Rumania. He is the head of a well-known family and a very wealthy, man. He lived many years in Switzerland and continued to maintain contacts with the National Peasant Party Leader (M. Maniu), but he is not known to have any relations with the present Rumanian regime such as would give his mission outstanding importance. lie is not the only Rumanian notability who has been inquiring in likely quarters a out the possibilities of peace since the Russians advanced from Kiev