TURKEY'S POSITION

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2968, 4 January 1917, Page 5

TURKEY'S POSITION

A PROCLAMATION YOKE OF SUZERAINTY THROWN OFF Washington, January 2. !A. Turkish communication to Austria and Germany proclaims Turkish independence of the suzerainty of the great Ihiropean Powers, and states that Turkey enters Bio group of the great European Powers with all the rights and prerogatives of an entirely independent Government. She has allied herself to Austria, on a footing of eatiro equality. Turkey denounces the Treaty of Paris (1856) and tho Treaty of Berlin (.'878), and abolishes the special statute of Lebanon.—Aus.-N.Z. Cablo Assn. [Tho Treaty of Paris was the outcome of the Crimean War, and was signed on March 30, 1856. Under its provisions Russia abandoned all pretensions to exercise a protectorate over the Christians in Turkey, or to an exclusive right of interference in the Danubian Principalities, to which Bessarabia was restored; the navigation of the Danube 'was made free, and placed under the supervision of an international commission; the Black Sea was closed to warships, while open to the commercial flags of all countries; Turkey was admitted to the Concert of Europe, and all the contracting parties agreed to respect her independence and the integrity of her territory. _ On July 13, 1878, the Treaty of Berlin was signed. Under it Turkey abandoned all pretension to suzerainty over Montenegro; Serbia, and Rumania received their independence (but the last-named was made to cede Bessarabia to Russiai reqeiving instead the Dobrudja); the Asiatic frontier was readjusted, KarSj Ardahan, and Batum becoming Russian. It was further provided that Bulgaria should''pay to Turkey an annual tribute, and should moreover, bear a portion of fEe Ottoman debt. Turkey undertook to pay Russia 300,000,000 roubles (£30,000000) and the status of the Dardanelles was unchanged. Measures of .reform in Armenia were also provided for, as also tho . convocation of an International Commission for drawing up a reform scheme for the European provinces left to Turkey. Bosnia and Herzegovina were handed over to the administration of Austria; Montenegro and Greece received accessions of territory to which only strong pressure coupled with a naval demonstration induced Turkey to consent three years later. The statute or reglement of Lebanon was signed at Constantinople on September 6, 1864, granting autonomy for the Lebanon under a Christian Governor appointed by the. Powers, with the concurrence of the Porte, an arrangement which had worked satisfactorily up to the outbreak of war.]