ASKED TOO MUCH.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 247, 19 October 1939, Page 7

ASKED TOO MUCH.

RUSSIA'S DEMANDS.

Inconsistent With Turkey's Pledges To Allies. FRIENDLY ATMOSPHERE. British Official Wireless. (Received 12 noon.) RUGBY, October 18. Although official circles in London have not yet been fully informed as to the circumstances which brought the Russian and Turkish negotiations to an apparent impasse, it is evident from the statement of Dr. Saydam, Turkish Premier, that proposals were made which were regarded by the Turkish Government as unacceptable. It is noted, however, that the statement of Dr. Saydam, and the official communique of Russia, both referred to a continuance of friendly relations between the two countries.

A Moscow announcement states that the visit of the Turkish Foreign Minister, M. Saracoglu, enabled a complete exchange of Kusso-Turkish opinions upon mutual problems. The talks were conducted in a cordial atmosphere, confirming the stability of Russo-Turkish relations and the desire of both countries to preserve peace. The two Governments agreed with desirability of further contact.

In a statement announcing the breakdown of the talks. Dr. Saydom said that when M. Saracoglu went to Moscow, both Governments had already exchanged views. After the talks had begun, the Soviet presented a new set of proposals. It was not possible for Turkey to reconcile these proposal* with the obligations which Russia knew Turkey had agreed upon with Britain and France. The Russian demands were not considered practicable by Turkey At the same time th=» relations between Turkey and Russia would remain on 8 friendly bat-is.

"The Times" correspondent at Istanbul says that when M. Saracoglu has left Moscow he was seen off by M. Potemkin, vice-Commissar of Foreign Affairs, the British Minister, the French Charge d Affaires, and other diplomatic representatives. A Soviet guard of honour was provided and also a band.

It is expected that Turkey will now sign her agreements with Britain and France.

COLOURFUL CAREER.

TURKEY'S NEGOTIATOR.

Lights burned all night in the Foreign Ministry at Ankara when Foreign Minister Shokru Saracoglu (pronounced Sarro-joe-glu) was preparing to visit Moscow, states "Time." Announced before Russian troops invaded Poland, the trip grew in importance as the significance of joint Russian-Ger man aggression swept over the frightened Balkans.

A 55-year-old lawyer, nervous, clever, quick-witted Shokru Saracoglu began his public life at 40, when Turkey's Kemal Ataturk was consolidating his power, when Russia on the north was far from strong. A lusty, exuberant Moslem (married, with two children), Shokru Saracoglu has gone through many reputations in Balkan and Western eyes; once people spoke of his freshness and enthusiasm; once people said he had grown headstrong-, his cleverness inspired distrust.

There was a time when Westerners muttered about a hard-living "rounder" somewhere in the Near East whose lack of scruples made diplomatic stability impossible, but that time passed when, as Turkey grew stronger, Saracoglu'® reputation grew bright. Now none of this matters; only what Stalin could say to Saracoglu, what Saracoglu could say to Stalin; whether Turkey, breaking with Britain and France, would join with Stalin and Hitler in another move for "peace" as devastating as the German-Russian pact had been.

Said the aetute Associated Press, employing the language of Metternich: Turkey, while committed to Britain and France, had reaffirmed "her warm friendship for the Soviet Union, whose troops are massed along her frontiers."