New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-01-07


| opened the session. Rcchad Pacha, be-
fore reading his statement. made a
brief speech. He said that Turkey
was prepared to give further proof Of
| her conciliatory spirit ana desire TO
avert bloodshed. but he regretted that
| the allies seemed determined to con-
cede nothing on their part and had
| turned a deaf ear to humanitarian con-
| siderations. He then read the follow
/ ing:
| "If we refuse the cession of Adrian
| ople II is because its cession is impos-
sible. for the security Of Constantinople
and the Dardanelles. Besides, 1 must
/ add that we are here with the firm in
! tention TO establish lasting peace,
with such conditions as will insure
friendly relations and commercial
! facilities profitable to both parties.
Holds to Adrianople.
I'VE are still ready to-day TO dis
! cuss the frontier line between Turkey
and Bulgaria, but this frontier must
/ leave Adrianople in Ottoman territory.
Wishing to give new proof Of our
! spirit of Cancellation we consent TO
dosist from our rights over Crete on
condition naturally that the allies do
not claim the cesson or any otner
! islands in the Egean Sea.
I hot pd;po those enOrmOlIS
| sacrifices, the allies reject all idea OF
entering the road TO concessions, wish
! ing TO break off the negotiations, the
whole responsibility for the conse-
ouences Of this rupture will fall on
them. In this eventuality we declare
all Of the concessions made up 10 to-
day null and void"
The Balkan plenipotentiaries could
not conceal their dissatisfaction with
the statement, which, although con-
tanning small concessions, left the
situation practically unchanged. Vari-
Gus delegates asked Rechad Pacha II
he could not add something, even I'M
official. to the 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. were never satisfied.
no matter how much Turkey yielded
while they themselves had not changed
their terms one iota.
DR.. Daneff remarked: This was be-
cause from the beginning the allies
asked only what they had fought for
and what they expect after the sue
cesses attained"
Further Cession Likely.
Rechad Pacha said that his instruc-
tions were to communicate only the
statement which he had read. but he
believed that his government might be
induced to grant another small rectifi-
cation Of the Thracean frontier, cedlng
several districts, the population OF
u,bicb were for the most part Chris
tions.
The sitting was then suspended In
order to give time to the allies TO Tor
nulate their answer. The Balkan DEL
opates assembled in an adjoining room,
where after a short discussion they de-
cided that the Turkish statement cor
RESPONDED with the second alternative
contemplated in the decision taken at
the meeting held prior to the official
sitting. An ans er was drafted ac-
cordingly and the sitting was reopened.
NJ. Novakovich then read the following
statement:
"The propositions Of their excellen-
cies. the Ottoman delegates, do not
correspond with the demands formu-
lated by the allies in the former Sit
ting. The negotiations on the new pro-
posed basis not being Of such a nature
as to lead to an understanding, the al
lies see themselves obliged to suspend
the sitting of the conference"
NJ. Novakovich delivered to Rechad
pacha a copy OF their answer signed
Inv all the heads of the Balkan delega-
tions and adjourned the. conference
sine die.
Rechad Pacha Protests.
pechad Pacha rose Immediately and
nrotested energetically against this
procedure, saying: when NJ. Novako-
vicb sits in that chair he is not the
president of the allies, but the president
~ the whole conference, which includes
the Turkish delegation. Therefore the
simple decision of the allies Is not suffi-
cient TO suspend the sitting, without
the opinion of the Turkish delegation
first being heard
NJ. Novakovlch answered.; 1T takes