The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is in corporated the West Coast Times. SATURDAY, JANUARY 2nd. 1926. THE MOSUL DISPUTE.

Hokitika Guardian, 2 January 1926, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is in corporated the West Coast Times. SATURDAY, JANUARY 2nd. 1926. THE MOSUL DISPUTE.

The Mosul dispute is the most disturbing factor at the moment in which Great Britain is involved outside the Empire. The dispute between Britain and Turkey as to territorial boundaries in the Iraq region has been a prominent question since the war period. There are hopes of a settlement at last. Turkey showing some indication at least of accepting a position which but for the activities of Bussia would he accepted readily as the inevitable. 11l reviewing the dispute it has been pointed out that the Brussels Line mentioned as the possible basis of agreement in the Mosul dispute was a temporary frontier fixed by the Council of the League of Nations at a special meeting held in the Belgian capital some time ago. The Turks had resorted to their familiar practice of removing the Christian population in Northern .Mosul, and Britain appealed to the League to take action. Both parties agreed to observe the frontier, but the report of the League Commission, and tho approaching decision of the Council, have resulted in the Turks again resorting to compulsory deportation of the Christian population, and to veiled threats to oppose hv force any decision not favourable to the Moslem Republic. Recently Mustnpha Kemal Pasha told an interviewer that

-Mosul is Turkish, and nothing can ever change that fact, even bayonets.” and he proceeded to claim that possession of the disputed vilayet was necessary for the safety of the Turkish State. The League Commission favoured the retention of the vilayet by Iraq, provided Britain would consent to administer the mandate for a term of twenty-five years, and Mr Aniery’s reported acceptance of this condition occasioned much hostile criticism in the London Press. The latest files show that Britain is anxious to have the matter settled without delay, and in a manner that will be mutually satisfactory. Financial negotiations of great importance are pending between the British and Turkish Governments, including the payment of the Ottoman debt bond-holders, and any serious dispute with regard to Mosul would seriously threaten the possibility of a favourable settlement being reached on 'those matters. The position in the Xear East is stressed by some journals as a sufficient justification for Britain going to the utmost limit to meet the wishes of the Turks. Probablv an undertaking to hold the mandate for Hie next quarter of a century would be governed by the terms of the mandate, which state that it is to be held only for such time as is deemed necessary to enable the people of Iraq to demonstrate their itbiljty to carry on thp

"A meet vV 7 n ed, it If tep to ensure quarter and Have-added'to its prestige as an instrument of international justice.