Wairarapa Times-Age FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20, 1939. TURKEY CALLS A HALT.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 October 1939, Page 4

Wairarapa Times-Age FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20, 1939. TURKEY CALLS A HALT.

jCjOME fears have been entertained in recent days that Soviet Russia nii<2,'lit impose her will on Turkey much as she has imposed it on the little Baltic (States which have become so many Russian outposts. On a number of grounds, this would have been a. serious and menacing development, from the point of view not only of the Allies, but of all nations which, desiic to establish stable peace in Europe on a foundation of justice. Russia is not a member of.the Peace Front. Rather, although still declaring herself neutral, she is playing a ruthless and an aggressively acquisitive part in the game of power politics. In spite of the ridicule Mr Bernard Shaw seeks to cast on those who doubt M. Stalin’s interest in peace, Russia’s current policy in Poland and the Baltic does not encourage a belief that she would exercise a peaceful influence if she were enabled, by dominating Turkey, to command one of the great approaches to the Mediterranean.

In the existing circumstances of the world, a considerable amount of comfort is to be derived from the positive indication afforded in. the discontinuation of the Moscow negotiations between Turkey and Russia, and in the news which lias followed quickly of the signing, by Britain, France and Turkey of a treaty of mutual assistance, that Turkey is by no means of a. mind to allow herself to be dominated by Russia. According to a message from the Instanbul correspondent of “The Times’’ which appeared yesterday, one of the Russian conditions which Turkey found unacceptable was that, in the event of Avar between Russia and the Allies, Turkey should close the Straits against Allied fleets. In justice to the Ottoman power, it must be said that in this matter’ and others it appears to be not merely choosing between one international group and another, but pursuing a policy which looks broadly to the maintenance of Turkish security ami establishment of general peace.

The former “Sick Man of Europe” is now a strong and healthy nation, with a mind and outlook of its f own. During the post-war years, under the leadership of the late Kamal Ataturk. Turkey gained steadily in military and diplomatic strength. As an oversea writer observed recently:—

The wooing of Turkey is a reflection of her strength. She has an ideal strategic position in the mountain plateau of Anatolia, with its bridgehead in Europe—a position which cannot be outflanked. Turkey, too, as warden of the Dardanelles and Bosphorous —the double portals of the Black Sea —controls one of the three gates on the Mediterranean. The Turkish coast fronting. Greece and the Italian islands in the Aegean has many good harbours. Finally, the Turks have a great military record and an excellent army.

In a review of policy before the Assembly at Ankara, in July last, the Turkish Foreign Minister, M. Saracoglu, said that the invasion of Albania had finally decided Turkey to abandon her policy of neutrality aiid join the Peace. Front. Turkish cooperation with France and Britain, he declared, was the logical outcome of events amongst which he enumerated Abyssinia, “sanctions,” and the Montreux Convention (empowering Turkey to fortify the Straits).

Under the Anglo-Turkish Agreement of May last, 1 lie two governments declared that in the event of active aggression leading to war in the Mediterranean area, they would be ready to co-operate effectively and to lend each oilier all the assistance in their power. The agreement covered the coasts and islands in the Eastern Mediterranean dependent upon, or owned by, Turkey and Britain respectively and by their allies —Greece in the case of Turkey and Egypt in that of Britain. The details of the agreement were left to be filled in and this evidently has been done in the definite treaty of mutual assistance now signed with the Allied Powers.

The outlook thus opened is the more to be welcomed since Turkey has taken independently an active part in organising Balkan security. Iler treaties with Greece are tantamount to a full alliance and she has made it clear that she will stand by Greece should that country become the victim of aggression. Turkey is a member also of the Balkan Entente—Turkey, Greece, Yugoslavia and Rumania—which was formed five years ago to secure the Balkan frontiers of these Stales against attack.

In spite of these developments, the Balkans remain a potential powder-magazine, on account partly of their internal disputes and jealousies—notably Bulgaria’s unsatisfied territorial claims on Rumania and other neighbours—-and the position is made still more unstable by rival German, Italian and Russian ambitions in the Peninsula. Turkey, however, is exercising a. steadying influence and the hope at least appears that in safeguarding her own security, with which Russian proposals in the course of the Moscow negotiations were 'held to be inconsistent, she may render valuable international service in the association with the Allies into which she has now formally entered.