THE NEAR EAST.

Hokitika Guardian, 7 November 1922, Page 3

THE NEAR EAST.

ANXIETY OVER SITUATION

AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION Received this day at 12.26 p.m.) 'PARIS, Nov. 6.

The “Petit Parisian” says the High Commissioners do not conceal their anxiety at the situation created by Rafet Pasha’s coup. The qusetion arises whether the rights of four hundred thousand Greeks and Armenians in. the capital can lie safeguarded. The .Mudania armistice recognises nothing would he change dbeforc ratification, hence the anxiety of the, Christian foreign population. The Sultan refuses to renounce the Klialifate. The Sultan’s firmness is so unusual that it would appear certain In’ had received assurances of security from Britain, and thus was able to declare he was tir'd of the insults ol Angora. The press states lie is going to India where the Mohammedans have the greatest regard for him. Tt is understood this is the reason the Kemalists are insisting on his renunciation of the Khalifat, before he leaves, the .country, as the Khalil's departure would seriously embarrass them.

Messages from Constantinople says Tewfik Pasha denies that the Sultan has abdicated. Tewfik says the Sultan intends to clear himself in the nation’s eyes. Nationalist circles, however, declare the Sutlan’s abdication is imminent. The administration is now entirely in the Nationalists hands and the law courts are passing judgments in the Angora Assembly’s name. TURKISH AFFAIRS.

(Received tliis (lav at 11.30 a.in.) LONDON, Nov 6. The Foreign Office regards I! a let Pasha’s undertaking that he will respect the Mudania Convention, as distinctly reassuring and points out that the demand For the evacuation of Constantinople (of which the Foreign Office has not yet been advised) would he in direct conflict with the Convention. Little credence is attached to the Greek alarmist report that the Turks are planing a. surprise occupation of Gallipoli, by taking advan- . tage of the absence of the English warship, during the changing of patrols. Official circles point out that the Turks are not sufficiently equipped to undertake such an enterprise. Regarding the change of civil administration in Constantinople the opinion is expressed that Angora’s claim to replace the Constantinople Government in the Capital and even throughout Gu'lipoli area, could) hardly h'c. resisted, since it is the only stable Government in Turkey, hut the change would not affect a continuance of the military oev cupation, which is essential under the terms of the .Mudania Convention. One benefit resulting from the change will he to make the task of the Lausanne Conference easier. (TiAttor the ohl eonditons, the Conference would pro--hahlv have begun with a wrangle re-garding-the, respective rights of Constantinople and Angora Governments. Now Turkey will speak with,one voice. •, Owing to the. British elections n-’-d the change of Government in Italy, if is regarded as impracticable for the Conference to meet on 13th November ,and a postponement for a week is most probable. ,