TOPHANE KONFERANSI “DOĞU RUMELİ’YE VEDA”

The Russian policy of Pan-Slavism for a quarter-century reached its zenith at St. Stephano (Agios Stephanos) so that all the Balkan peoples gained their independence. Reluctant to allow Russia to secure this political gain, England discussed the treaty of St. Stephano at the Congress of Berlin and only the situation of Bulgaria was changed. The Great Bulgaria was thus divided into three parts: Bulgarian Princedom, Eastern Rumelia Province and Macedonia. The latter was reinstated to the Ottoman State due to its problematic situation. However, the Eastern Rumelia Province was a direct result of British fear, since she did not want presence of so many Russian troops in a vast Bulgarian territory. As an artificial unity, this Province would be incorporated to Bulgaria also with British support. This union is an example reflecting the loss of Rumelia by Ottomans, the end of Russo-Austrian friendship in the arena of European politics, and finally is a demonstration the competence of English diplomacy.