THE AIMS AND POLICY OF 



SERVIA. 



By His Excellency NICOLAS PACHITCH, Prime Minister of Servia. 



T this time, when there seems so 

 #^ much misconception concerning the 

 ^sssi^ aims and policy of Servia, I think 

 ^ ^ that it is very necessary that the 

 J^^ .Mifc.P€<5p'e of Eng-la/id should know 

 exactly how things really are and thus be able 

 to avoid being deceived by the efforts of ill- 

 informed or unfriendly persons. Servia desires 

 especially that England shall know the true 

 situation, since that country not only helped 

 Servia to obtain her independence, but has 

 always been the model upon which the liberal 

 and democratic institutions of Servia have been 

 created and developed. I feel certain, therefore, 

 that England better than any other nation will 

 be able to appreciate Servian policy and Servian 

 national necessities. 



While we are anxious to preserve the most 

 friendly relations with all other nations, near or 

 far, we cannot depart from the principle that 

 national needs must always dominate the policv 

 of a Liberal nation anxious to develop normally. 

 International concessions, and even friendships, 

 must never be allowed to destroy the possibility 

 of accomplishing the national destiny. The past 

 has shown us that independence of trade and 

 economic liberty are necessary for Servia 's 

 development, and even for her existence. Since 

 the moment, some years ago, that our economic 

 independence was partially secured, the progress 

 of the country has been so marked as to leave no 

 doubt possible in our minds that Servia must 

 have complete economic independence and an 

 outlet to the sea which shall be under no control 

 save her own, after the sacrifices which she has 

 made and which she may still be called upon to 

 make. 



It is the obvious truth that Servia's desires are 

 based upon no exaggerated ideas of possible 

 aggrandisement nor can they in any sense be 

 regarded simply as a basis for compromise. 

 Servian arms have conquered far more territorv 



than Servia intends to retain, but Servian policy 

 has established a minimum of territorial expan- 

 sion vt'hich does no more than cover her co- 

 nationals and her national necessities. For this 

 minimum Servia is prepared to make every 

 sacrifice, since not to do so would be to be false 

 to her national duty. No Servian statesman or 

 (iovernment dare betray the future welfare of 

 the country by considering for a moment even 

 the abandonment of this minimum. Servia's 

 minimum requisite to her national development 

 is economic independence, save, possibly, in so 

 far as regards a Customs union with her allies 

 and a free and adequate passage to the Adriatic 

 sea on the Adriatic Coast. It is essential that 

 Servia should possess about 50 kilometres from 

 Alessio to Durazzo. This coastline would be 

 joined to what was formerly Old Servia approxi- 

 mately by the territory l>etween a line from 

 Durazzo to Ochrida Lake in the south, and one 

 from Alessio to Djakova in the north. 



History might be cited to show that Servia's 

 claims extend much further southwards. Indeed, 

 Albania belonged to Servia formerly until con- 

 quered by the Turks. The anarchy prevailing 

 in Albania would seem to indicate that the whole 

 country would be better off under the liberal 

 regime of an established Government ; but we 

 do not ask for anything more than our national 

 necessities demand. The future of Albania 

 south of the Durazzo-Ochrida Lake line can well 

 be left to the Powers to decide its destiny, 

 although we feel strongly that it will be in the 

 interests neither of the Albanians nor of Europe 

 if autonomy be insisted on. The reports of Aus- 

 trian and Italian Consuls and of travellers such 

 as Hahn, Steinmetz, Baldacci, and Barbarich, 

 whose testimony cannot be suspected of Servian 

 leanings, show a deplorable state of affairs 

 existing in Albania. The percentage of deaths 

 by violence in Albania ranges from 20 to 75 of 

 the total death-rate. Europe may condemn the 



