THE NEAR EAST.

Hokitika Guardian, 14 September 1922, Page 2

THE NEAR EAST.

AUSTRALIAN AND N. 3. CABLE ASSOCIATION. BRITAIN ASKS DIRECT ACTION. ROME, September 12. The British Ambassador as handed Signor Sehanzer (Foreign Minister) a British Note on the Turkish situation. The Note declares: —“The moment has passed for any academical discussion oil the Near Eastern situation. The time has come for rapid, and energetic measures for the defence of common Allied interests in Constantinople and the Straits of Dardanelles, which must be settled, before returning to any discussion regarding the revision of the Treaty of Sevres.” Britain points out:—There is a twofold danger, firstly, that of an advance ■of Rusian Bolshevism to the shores of the Bosphorus ;secondly, that of any encouragement of an increased PanIslam agitation by. favouring the victorious Turkish Nationalists. Such an | agitation will not now bo limited to the British territories, but it will extend to French and Italian colonies.

NEWS FROM TURKISH FRONT. CONSTANTINOPLE, Sept. 12 Rrussa, which was first occupied by flic Kemalist cavalry, was then abandoned. It has now been definitely occupied by the Kemalists. The Greeks, however, have got away from there, via Mudania, and have been transportoil to Rodosto.

An Inter-Allied Military Mission, with two companies of French infantry, lias landed a! Mudania, to maintain order.

The Turks claim that, unless the Turkish prisoners interned in alleged ly unhealthy conditions at Old Phale-. rum, in Larissa, are transferred elsewhere, all the Greek prisoners including the generals, will he identically treated. RKPINGTON DENOUNCES TURKS. LONDON, September 12. Colonel Repington, writing in the “Daily Telegraph”, states:—The recovery of Constantinople and of Eastern Thrace is part of tho Turkish National plan. Any Turkish assurance that the Straits of Dardanelles will remain free, would not be worth the paper on which it was written. With the Turks dominating these Straits, we should have Russian Soviet troops there before long. We are in the presence of a military situation demanding definite precautions. It would be unpardonable to offer tho Turks such a bait as the Straits would ho if weakly hold. CONSTANTINOPLE’S FUTURE. (Received this day at 8 a.m.) LONDON, Sept. 1,1 A French selni-officiiil statement says the note presented to Quai Dorsav, declaring the British Government reckons on the help of its Allies to ensure the defence of Constantinople and Gallipoli Peninsula. The note proposes urgent military questions should momentarily he entrusted to the Allied High Commissioners in Constantinople. The French Government will probably decide on Thursday on the nature of the replies to Britain and Italy. The statement adds. that without prejudice to Thursday’s decisions or coiitemplatablo measures, it is already certain the French Government is as much attached to the principle of th*> freedom of the Straits, as the British Government. TURKS AND GREEKS. (Received this day at 8.30 a.m.) ATHENS, Sept. 111. Government lias asked the Allies lor authority to requisition foreign steamers to transport refugees from Asia Minor. It is reliably stated the Governments of Jugo-Slavin and Rouninnin intend to aid Greece in the event of a Balkan conflict. Jugo-Slavia is mobilising and concentrating troops towards ITskub. PARIS, Sept. 13. M. Venizelos has arrived. He will confer with M. Poincare and see Hon Lloyd George in London later, to urge the Allies to uphold the Greek claim to Thrace which he believes the Turkish successes are endangering. The “Matin” states Christian minorities need not fear molestation by the Turkish Army, Mustapha having personally undertaken their protection and maintenance.

QUEEN OF GREECE. i Received this day at 8.30 a.m.) AMSTERDAM, Sept. 13 The Queen of Greece lias arrived at Flushing, en route to Hamburg. SMYRNA CHRISTIANS PANICKY. LONDON, Sept, 12. The London “Da'ily Telegraph’s” Smyrna correspondent states: —The Christian population and refugees herd are fear-ridden aJidj are clamouring to the Allies for protection. They are fearful of Turkish reprisals for a ntassflicrc of four thousand Moslems carried out during the Greek occupation of the city in 1919. Many of these Greeks and Armenians wiio were very prominent in the 1919 massacre of Moslems, have been rounded up, court martialled, and shot soon after the Turks’ arrival. Apart from this (says the correspondent) there have been tew. killings except snipers. The shops and bazaars, especially those in the Armenian quarter, are being systematically looted, both Turk soldiers and Turk civilians taking part. FRANCE’S ATTITUDE EXPLAINED LONDON, Sept 12. The London “Morning# Post’s” Paris correspondent has interviewed General Woygand (of the French General Staff) who denied that France lias supplied the Turks with guns and ammunition. “France,” lie says, possesses certain sympathies with Turkey outing to hdr traditional memories, and to the present community of interests between the two countries, but the Turkish advance which has overthrown the work of the latest peace negotiation ,is now being viewed differently in France than in the other Allied countries. The Allies are facing a new situation, which is an accomplished fact. The Allies cannot takfl the former Turkish Asia. Minor teritories from the Turk forces which now occupy them.” “The situation regarding Constantinople and the Dardanelles Straits,” said General AVeygand, “is altogether different from that in Asia Minor. The Allies are able to consider this situation with complete freedom, There are no differences between France and Great Britain regarding the solution, pf this question.”