With regard to the islands occupied now by Italy, Italy
repeats her assurance that they will be banded back to Turkey when the obligations of the Treaty of Lausanne have been carried out. It remains to be noticed that the replies, though drawn up after close consultation and in complete agreement on every point, have been handed in separately and vary in form, thus indicating that the Powers of the Triple Alliance are not acting as a group against or independently of the Triple Entente, but in recognition of the principle that the Balkan problem remains one for all the members of the European Concert. As against the practical unanimity of the Powers we have to set the openly avowed dissatisfaction of Turkey with the settlement of the islands question. The situation in Albania has been complicated by the resignation of Ismail Kemal Bey, the bead of the Provisional Govern- ment—who has been hitherto supported by the Austro- Hungarian Foreign Office—in consequence of revelations proving his complicity with Izzet Pasha's attempt to seize the Albanian throne. The State entry of Prince William of Wied is now fixed for February 25th.
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