Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-05-17
GREECE-BULGAR|A
ISSUES MED|ATED
Henderson Aids Provisional
Adjustment of Knotty
Finance Problems.
BY Cable to The Star.


VIENNA, Austria, May 15.-Provis-
ional adjustment of the thorny out
standing problems between Greece and
Bulgaria has now taken place, thanks
largely to the mediation of Arthur Hen
derson British foreign minister, it is
said in Sofia today.
Settlement of this long standing
Greco-Bulgar dispute marks a new tri-
umph also for the policy OF Eleutherlos
Venizelos, the Greek prime minister
Recently IN Vienna he said that with
Greco-Turkish issues now cleared up,
and Greco-JugoSlav relations on very
friendly basis, he would turn to Bull
garia and Albania, hoping for similar
agreements.
Under Venizelos, In fact. Greece has
been doing good deal Of peace-mahng.
The indirect but eventual aim of his
policy, people say, is to clear up the
friction between Bulgaria and Jugosla-
via, which is the most serious single Bal
Kan problem. With Greece friendly with
Jugoslavia on one side, and now with
Greece as mediator is much improved
Issues Most Financial.
The issues between Greece and Bull
paria were mostly financial, and of ex-
IRENE completely. Since they were
financial rather than political, solution
was doubly difficult, since each nation
stubbornly persisted in its claims with
out serious fear Of diplomatic conse-
quences. The tussle has been going on
| three years.
Greece wanted % damages for anti
Greek riots that took place at the sea-
port of Anchialos, then on Bulgarian
soil, way back in 1906; CD indemnity
for damage done by the Bulgarian
army in the Great War; 90 comprehen-
sive arbitration of other outstanding
| issues.
Bulgaria denied the right of Greece
to dig up claims that have been dormant
for IS years; insisted that the war dam
ages should be paid out of reparationS
asked for indemnity for 5000 Mace
DOMAIN families that had been deported
and refused to submit TO blanket arbi-
tration without corresponding guaran-
tees.
Mr.. Henderson, as mediator. outlined
a series of compromises. AS to the old
! 1905 damages, he suggested that The
Hague Court of International Justice
should decide whether or not The Hague
Court was competent or not to discuss
them! Such is the legal deviousness
sometimes necessary in juggling Balkan
affairs.
Friendship Pact Planned.
AS to Greek war claims, they will be
sent to a special arbitral tribunal set up
under the Eastern reparationS settle
ment. The Bulgarian claim to reim-
burse the 5000 Macedonians will go to a
mixed arbitral commission, under nell
trail jurist.
More important than the details Of
the projected settlement are positive fu-
ture steps now contemplated by Greece
and Bulgaria. A friendship treaty is
planned, also a new commercial treaty.
Liberty Of emigration of the national
minorities of both countries is to be in
sured.
1t took a good deal of pressure from
Mr.. Henderson to get Bulgarian agree
ment on these issues. But 1t is out of
patient cooperative solution of similar
knotty items, trivial in themselves, that
Balkan peace eventually may come
Final details will be settled at Geneva,
when Mr.. Henderson meets the Gre !;
and Bulgarian foreign ministers in June.
(copyrisht. 1s31D