THE BALKANS TANGLE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 6 March 1941, Page 6

THE BALKANS TANGLE

BULGARIA’S ATTITUDE BRITISH NOTE HANDED TO PREMIER. TERRITORY UNDER ENEMY OCCUPATION. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright! (Received This Day, 12.43 p.m.) LONDON. March 5. The Ministry of Economic Warfare has announced that the British Government has deeded that it must now regard Bulgaria as territory under enemy occupation. From today, therefore, Bulgaria will be regarded as an enemy destination for contraband purposes and all goods of Bulgarian origin or ownership will be liable to seizure. Mr. Rendel. the British Minister at Sofia, had a brief farewell audience with King Boris this morning. Announcing Britain's decision to sever diplomatic relations with Bulgaria to the Premier, Professor Filoff, and asking for his passports, Mr. Rendel presented a British Note which stated that although Professor Filoff had said that the German Government had declared the task of the German troops was to safeguard the peace and tranquillity of the Balkans, it was clear that the German aim was to menace and if necessary attack Britain’s ally, Greece. The Note added: “The British Government is forced to conclude that the Bulgarian Government, far from desiring to maintain its neutrality, was now prepared actively to co-operate with Germany. Proof was to be found in the Bulgarian Government breaking off diplomatic relations on Tuesday with Britain’s allies. Poland, Belgium and the Netherlands." Mr. Rendel reminded Professor Filoff that Britain was at war with Germany; and, therefore, she could not maintain diplomatic relations with a country which was not only harbouring a growing force of German troops but also becoming increasingly subservient to German policy.

AMERICAN VIEW GERMAN ATTEMPT TO SALVAGE ITALY’S POSITION. INTERESTING POSSIBILITIES. (Received This Day, 12.50 p.m.) WASHINGTON. March 5. In informed diplomatic circles in Washington, Germany’s penetration of Bulgaria and the probable forthcoming penetration of Yugoslavia are not envisaged as pointing to a widescale German offensive against valuable British possessions in the Near East but rather as an effort to salvage Italy’s position in Albania. The German penetration is also seen as an effort to prevent the creation by Britain of a land front in Europe, from which to attack Germany. Turkey may invite Britain to send her fleet to the Black Sea to bombard the German-occupied Rumanian and Bulgarian ports. Germany would find it an impossible task to cross Asiatic Turkey to Iraq, in the face of Turkish opposition, supported by British naval and air power. SOME REMINDERS MR RENDEL INTERVIEWS PROFESSOR FILOFF. (Received This Day, 11.40 a.m.) ; LONDON. Marhc 5. I Interviewed in Sofia, Mr Rendel said: “Professor Filoff seemed unduly confident of an Axis victory. I reminded him that Mussolini was confident and had suffered severely as a result. I told him that others might suffer.”

URGED TO LEAVE BRITONS IN YUGOSLAVIA. (Received This Day, 11.40 a.m.) LONDON, March 5. A Belgrade message states that the British Consulate has advised Britons not doing urgent business to quitYugoslavia. Women, the-consulate and legation staffs and families are ready to leave. It is reported from Istanbul that seventeen hundred Britons from Bulgaria are now in Turkey, en route to Palestine. In Athens. Mr Eden and Sir John Dill have concluded their talks with the Prime Minister.