UNITY OF ALLIES.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 November 1922, Page 5

UNITY OF ALLIES.

PROSPECTS MORE HOPEFUL. MEETING OF MINISTERS. ARRANGING TERMS. By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. Received Nov. 15, 1.10 a.m. London, Nov. 14. The prospects of Allied unity are more hopeful, due to the receipt by Downing Street of a French Note. A French semi-official message declares the British and French general staffs have reached a complete agreement on the military terms of the new Turkish treaty. Negotiations are progressing between London, Paris and Rome, to arrange a meeting of Allied Ministers preparatory to the Lausanne conference. The Daily Express understands that M. Poincaire, Signor Mussolini and Lord Curzon will confer at London this week, which ends the question of a further postponement of the Lausanne conference.—Reuter Ser- . vic. POSITION 'ELECTRICAL. TURKS SEVERELY WARNED. London, Nov. 13. Though the situation in Constantinople is still electrical, the Alliez have not yet carried out the threat to establish a state of siege. It is emphasised that Britain throughout insisted that th? Lausanne Conference was bound to prove abortive unless the Allies reached a preliminary agreement. Both France and. Itaty funy agreed with this view. The postponement < of the conference were entirely due to th? difficulties of arranging a meeting between Lord Curzon, M. Poincare and Signor Mussolini, owing to the British elections, the French Budget dehate, and the Italian Cabinet reconstruction. Lord Curzon strongly opposed a meeting at Lausanne on the eve of the conference on the ground that there was no time there for the Allies to reach unanimity. It is denied that the postponement of the conference was due to any inter-Allied or Anglo-French differences on principle. Official dispatches to-day show that the Near East situation continues to be grave. Constantinople is described as being on the edge of a volcano. The Allied Commissioners warned the Turks that severe measures will be taken unless they adopt forthwith a more moderate attitude. It iz regarded as certain that there will be an interchange of views between Lord Curzon hnd M. Poincare with reference to the drafting of a programme for Lausanne. CONFERENCE DIFFICULTIES. PRELIMINARY MEETING SUGGESTED. London., Nov. 13. The Paris correspondent of The Times discloses that complete confusion existed. between the views of Britain and France over the postponement of the Lausanne Conference and relations were strained. The correspondent adds: “It is with strange reluctance that the French commit themselves to a clear-cut programme. The inclination persists to pass over lightly Turkish acts of provocation and defiance in Constantinople. It is understood that permission has been granted to the French and Italian High Commissioners to agree, if necessary, to a declaration of a state of siege, but the permission is so hedged about with conditions that virtually it is not workable until too late. Tn any ease it seems most probable that the moment for such action has gone and that the proclamation of a state of siege now would be more likely to precipitate a conflict.” Paris. Nov. 13. M. Poincare has informed Lor.d Hardinge that he is unable, owing to pressure of Parliamentary business, to go to London, therefore he suggests that n preliminary conference shall he held in Paris or Lausanne.

Ismet Pasha, interviewed at Lausanne, said the postponement of the conference was a serious mistake. The Turkish army and people could not be kept in a state of anxiety ?nd intense strain. There was the gravest danger of incidents producing a conflict between the Turks and the Allies. TURKS AND FRENCH. I AGGRAVATING TACTICS USED. London, Nov. 13. Evidence is accumulating that the Turks have changed their attitude towards the French. Tn addition to desecrating graves in Smyrna they have destroyed the French soap works in Asia Minor, and are renewing their demands regarding the Syrian frontiers. The French so far have not taken any steps to reinforce their troops at Constantinople.