New-York tribune., 1908-10-07
BULGARIA'S POSITION
DEFINED By POPRIKOFF.
Minister Explains Causes Of the
Break from Turkey.

NJ Ponrtkofr. the Bulgarian Minister OF For
eign Affairs has sent cable dlspatch 10 AHe
Associated Press giving an authoritative
D1anation Of the Bulgarian situation. WHICH -
,,ou obsorhipq the attention of Europe and the
-,.o.,s ~ large The dispatch is in reply to a
,,h,o r,essaga requesting NJ PoprflSoff to send
an official statement of the facts HIS answer
dated to-day at the ancient capital OF bulgaria.
is as follows;
Tfrnovo Bulgaria. oct. Pursuant TO tne
Treaty of Berlin, Bulgaria has been pr'lc1p7
itv tributary to Turkey Many years aso Du-
garia acquired the right to have dlpioiha'io ieP
resentatives accredited TO all the great po~'
She maintained such representative q" ~
stantinopIe. Until recently the diplomatic rep
resentative of Bulgaria to Turkey was hl'l'0o'
with the other members OF the diplomatic oOip
IN Constantinople 10 all official ceremonies re-
ceptions and dinners. On the 1Zth Oh laS' '0p
ternber. the occasion being the anniversary o.
the Sultan's birthday. the Turkish Minister u
Foreign Affairs gave a dinner to the diplomatic
corps TO which the diplomatic representative OF
Bulgaria was not invited. Steps were at oii0e
taken to secure an explanation OF this nesleoO-
The Ottoman government replied that the bui-
garian representative had no right to expect an
invitation to this diplomatic dinner as bulgaria
was a vassaI state of Turkey.
There then followed diplomatic conflict De-
tween Bulgaria and Turkey Bulgaria consul
cred that Turkey was not respecting the rlsh's
ACQUIRED by her. and she desired TO de1ehd liieSe
rights This was the first incident
The Oriental Railroad Company operates three
hundred kilometres QS6 mites) of line In Bull
garian territory. The same company operates
also about one thousand kilometres t62I mlies)
of line in Turkish territory. A recent strike oh
the property of the Oriental Railroad company
In Turkey spread at the same time to bulgarian
territory This strike was decided upon and
directed from outside of Bulgaria FoiloWlns
an understanding with the representative OF the
Oriental Railroad Company the bulgarian gov
ernrnent took over temporarily the running of
the road The strike, however spread until the
national security of Bulgaria was threatened
and the people became dlscohIeh'eu WIN '-'0
state of affairs.
II ,ben became the duty of the Bulgarian gov
eminent to continue running the road. and we
asked the company to sell us its rights IN Bull
garia in accordance with an understanding
reached between the government and the COM
pany ten years ago Turkey then pretended
that the line was her property, and IN note
the Turkish government demanded that the line
be returned to the company The Bulgarian
government replied thdt IL WOulu treat oiilJ
with the company. This was the second conh1ct
This situation imposed upon the Bulgarian
government the necessity of fixing definitely the
relations between the principality and Turkey
The new regime in Turkey made II Imperative
for Bulgaria to maintain the best Of relations
with her neighbors especially as this fictitious
condition of vassalage created feelings OF sus-
picion and distrust which might at any moment
result in disturbing the peace of the Balkans
Bulgaria understood clearly that Austria Hun
gary soon would annex the occupied provinces
of Bosnia and Herzegovina. and the general
situation was such that Bulgaria was obliged.
without delay TO declare her complete inde-
pendence.
Consequently yesterday, October 5, Bulgaria
was proclaimed an independent kingdom and
Prince Ferdinand accepted the title OF King OF
Bulgaria This act was communicated to all the
great powers by proclamations declaring that
Bulgaria was independent Bulgaria has no
aggressive aims She has given regular form TO
a situation that already existed de facto.
We believe that the powers will approve the
proclamation Of Bulgaria to be an independent
kingdom. This act need in way trouble the
Deace of Europe the Balkans The powers
who desire peace in Europe, and particularly
those who desire the maintenance Of the new
regime in Turkey will be the more convinced
Of the truth of what I say soon they are
satisfied that it is Bulgara's purpose by this
act to aid in the strengthening of this regime.
POPRIKOFF. Minister of Foreign Affairs