World News in Story and Picture

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 25, 30 January 1937, Page 3 (Supplement)

World News in Story and Picture

Turkey and Syria.

The Turkish Government is demanding the return of Svria. which is under a League of Nations Mandate to France.—Cable. Syria before the war belonged to Turkey, who only a few years ago stated that she had renounced all her lights on her former possessions, being content to develop what remained to her on modern lines. However, the result of the dispute between Italy and Ethiopia altered tlu- position, as Turkey feared Italian aims in the Levant, which embraced the famous Dardanelles, which so many of our soldiers know so well, ight down to the Suez Canal, also known to our soldiers. Before the war all the Levant, except the island of Cyprus, which was, and is, British, belonged to Turkey. 11l order to bring Italy into the war against her ally, Germany, Britain and France promised her the Austrian side of the Adriatic and part of Turkish Asia Minor. The Allies broke their promise, but Italy remembered. Turkey remembered, too. •bhe remembered how when, defeated

after tlie terrible wars of the Balkans, Italy took advantage of her weakness and attacked her, a ehort war ending with Italy seizing the 'lurkish colony of Tripoli, in North Africa, and the island of lthodes, in '.lie Levant. When Italy attacked Ethiopia. Turkey feared that she would next Itirn 011 her. Therefore Turkey gladlv offered Great Britain the use of her harbour* for Navy. Army and Air Force in the event of Italy attacking iiritain in the Mediterranean. Neither of the threatened attacks came to pat's, but another danger to Turkey look its place. For a long time Italy has cast longing eyes on the French possessions of Algeria and Tunisia, which were once part of the Human Kmpirtf, and where very many Italians live to-day. Now, this is what the Turks fear. They fear that France, sooner than have Italy continually thieut-

World Events Explained.

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ening her North African territory, might hand over her Syrian Mandate to Italy on the understanding that Italy renounced her ainin 011 Algeria and Tunisia. Therefore Turkey wants Syria returned to her, for she knows that once Italy got a footing there she would want more Turkish territory. Also, Turkey would like Britain to remain in Palestine and Cyprus because she knows that means an additional protection for Turkey against Italy.

"The Iraq Pipe-line.

Plans arc beinjj rapidly completed for mnkiiiK Cyprus u tfreat Brit lull strategic air centre. The Import a lire of Cyprus from a strategic point of view has been enormously increased by the completion of the oil pipeline from the Iraq oilfields to the Mediterranean terminals of Haifa and Tripoli.—Cable. The oil pipe-line from Iraq to Haifa and Tripoli lias a regrettable history. which dors not redound to the honour of at least one nation. 1,

After tlie war Britain was "ranted mandates over Palestine und Mesopotamia (now Iraq), including the valuable oil fielcU of Mosul. France, v.ho had contributed little or nothing to the victory of the British and Arabs over the Turks, received Syria, which the Arabs understood had been promised to them. France, however, was not satisfied. Like Britain, flie had very little oil In her colonies and had to buy from foreign countries. Xaturaliy, in the event of a war, these supplier might be cut off, and, as oil is a vital need in warfare to-day, France would be severely handicapped.

Therefore, when Turkey challenged Britain's right to Mosul, France deserted her ully of the Cireat War ami supported 'J'urkey. As 11 reward she hoped to receive the right to work the oil fields. When Britain found she wu« deserted by France and that I lie Dominions were not anxious for u war against Turkey, *he had to compromise. Thus France got lier way. An arrangement was made that Britain should work the oil fields, but instead of reserving the supply to herself the pipeline from t lie lie Id's to the Mediterranean should branch so that one arm of the V went to Haifa, in British territory, and the other to Tripoli (a seaport town and not to be confused with the North Africuii country J m French territory.