The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-01-07
FIRST STAGE OF THE
PEACE CONFERENCE
THOUGHT TO Be OVER
Powers Will Act Behind
Scenes and Force Turkey
to Grant Concessions
ALLIES SUSPEND
THE CONFERENCE
Does Not Mean Rupture of Negot;
o.
tions-Turkey Ren0unces ClaiT q =
to Crete-COncessions Ar
Immaterial

Immaterial
London, January s-The first stage of
! the peace negotiations, which is regarded
by diplomats largely as one of pretenss
on Turkeys part to avoid the appear
ance of yielding to the demands of the
allies without pressure from the powers
| is over now. 1t is expected that the
second stage will soon begin with the
powers acting behind the scenes and
pulling the strings which will compel
Turkey to ccncede the bulk of the allies
demands.
Without money, her army inadequate
and demoralized, her statesmen realize
that Turkey is in no condition to resume
hostilities.
At today's sitting of the conference
Turkey renouneed in favor of the allies
her rights in the island of Crete and
promised further rectihcation of the
Thracean frontier but insisted upon the
| retention of Adrianople The allies de-
clared this was not satisfactory and sus.
pended the conference.
That does not mean rupture of the
negotiations. The conference may be re-
sumed either by Turkey giving notifica-
ton that she has fresh proposals to sub
NIT or by the allies on the ground that
they have a communication to make TO
the Turks 1t is generally expected that
the work of the conference will be taken
up again at the end of the week when
the faSffxrifiac in +ba
thodox Christmas are ended
Allies Decide on Action
The allies today held a short meeting
before the official sitting and discussed
three possibilities with reference to the
statement which Rechad Pasha had been
asked to make respecting the Balkan
ultimatum and agred on the reply of the
allies
First If Rechad Pashas statement was
arrogant and provocative then notwith-
standing the advice of the powers In
favor of moderation they would break off
the negotiations; second if Rechad was
courteous but the new concessions un-
important, they would suspend the con-
ferenee; third, If Rechad made important
concessions. without absolutely conced.
ing the allies demands they would ad.
journ the sitting until Friday, in order
to allow time to consult their respective
governments
Expectation was intense when the Ser.
Wan delegate Stojan Novakowitch opened
the session. Rechad Pasha, before read
ing his statement made brief speech.
He said Turkey was prepared to give
further proof of her conciliatory spirit
and desire to avert bloodshed but he
regretted that the allies seemed deter
mined to eoncede nothing on their part
and had turned a deaf ear to humani-
tartan. considerations
He then read the following:
If we refuse the cession of Adrian
ople, 1T is because its cession is i'm
possible for the security of Constan-
tlnople and Dardanelles Besides,
must add that We are here with the
firm intention to establish a lasting
peace with such conditions as will in
sure friendly relations and commercial
facilities profitable to both parties.
Relinquishes Claim to Crete
I'VE still are ready today to dis
cuss the frontier lire between Turkey
and Bulgaria but this frontier must
leave Adrianople in Ottoman territory.
Wishing to give new proof of our spirit
Of concliation. we consent to desist
from our rights over Crete on condi-
tion, naturally. that the allies do not
claim the cession of any other islands
In the Aegean sea
IF. notwithstanding these enormous
sacrifices. the allies reject all idea of
entering the road TO concessions. wish
ing to break the negotiations, the whole
responsibility for the consequences of
this rupture Will fall on them In this
eventuality we declare all of the con-
cessions made until today null and
void"
The Balkan plenipotentiaries could
not conceal their dissatisfaction with
the statement, which, although CON
taining small concessions, left the sit-
uation practically unchanged Various
delegates asked Rechad Pasha if he
could not add something, even unof
fcially to this statement which he had
just made.
The head of the Turkish delegation
professed great surprise at having such
questions addressed to him by the AL
lies. who. he said, We're never satisfied.
no matter how much Turkey yielded.
while they themselves had not changed
their terms one iota
DR. Daneff remarked:
This was because from the begin
ming the allies asked only what they
had fought for and what they expect
after the successes attained"
Rechad Pasha said his instructions
" - y - Only the Stdte-
ment which he had read but he be-
lieved his government might be induced
TO grant another small rectifcation of
the Thracean frontier ceding several
districts. the population OF which is.
for the most part. Christians.
Sitting Suspended
The sitting was then suspended to
give time 10 the allies to formulate
their answer. After short discussion
they decided that the Turkish state
ment corresponded with the second al
ternative contemplated in the decision
taken at the meeting held prior to the
official sitting. An answer was draft
ed accordingly and the sitting was re-
opened NJ Novakovitch then read the
following statement:
THE propositions of their excelIencies
the Ottoman delegates, do not correspond
with the demands formulated by the allies
in the former sitting. Inc negotiations
on the new proposed basis being not of