THE NEAR EAST PROBLEM.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 17629, 5 December 1922, Page 7

THE NEAR EAST PROBLEM.

FREEDOM OF THE STRAITS.

BUSSIAN VIEW STATED. (Bt C«o!e—Press Associative—Copyrig-ht.) (Australian ltd N.Z. Cab's Assooiat.oa.) (Received December 4th, 8.5 p.m.) December 4.

. M. Tchitcherin, interviewed, elaborated the Russian attitude regarding the Dardanelles. He declared that the principle or liberty of the Straits for warships signified that a Power dominating the sea could concentrate forces in the Black Sea and create a naval base against the Soviet Republic and the bordering States. The mero exclusion of warships would mean that the execution of any agreement regarding the Straits would be left to an international body, the strongest member of which would impose its will on the others. Such a solution would transform tho Black Sea into a lake dominated by tho strongest naval Power. The peril of opening the Straits to the fleets of the Great Powers was accentuated by the Allies' menacing political and economic anti-Russian action in Persia, where tho Powers were attempting to secure oil territories and creato antiRussian bases.

CAPITULATIONS PROBLEM.

LAUSANNE, December 3.

Representatives of the Scandinavian countries have arrived to participate in the discussion of the Capitulations problem. Ismet Pasha declared that the capitulations were impossible. Turkey demanded equality with other nations. Eventually three sub-commissions were appointed to deal with, the subject.

The rights secured by the Capitulations to the non-'lurkisu parties may be analysed in two ways —iiiio liguu enjoyed respectively by foreign Uovernrnents and Li' their individual subjects, and into economic advantages and personal privileges. The principal rights enjoyed by Governments are certain astonishingly wide powers of jurisdiction over their own nationals resident in Turkey, which they exercise through their consuls, and a vfeto on the raising of the Ottoman Customs tariff above a certain limit (at present 11 per cent, ad valorem). The principal rights enjoyed by individual foreigners are the privilege of being subject to the jurisdiction of their own consuls instead of the Turkish authorities, and some very important exemptions from Ottoman taxation.

The Angora Government proposes to deal with these various foreign rights in different ways. They are willing that consular jurisdiction over foreign nationals should continue for a period to be agreed upon—say 10 or 15 years —until Turkey has had time to reform her own judicial system, but they attach two conditions—(a) That the Powers should undertake now to discuss with Turkey, at the end of tho agreed period, the abolition of consular jurisdiction and the subjection of foreigners to the authority of the courts of the country; and (b) that in the meantime the consular jurisdiction should be limited to questions of "personal statute," and should not be used to give <i foreign resident an economic advantage over his Ottoman neighbour. For instance, these privileges of "extraterritoriality" should l>e enjoved—during the interim period—by foreigners as individuals, but not by business firms.

RUSSIA AND TURKEY. LAUSANNE, December 8. Since M. Tchitcherin's arrival he has been in close consultation with Ismet Pasha, and it is expected that he will become from to-morrow Angora's mouthpiece. Some quarters prophesy that the Russo-Turkish attitude will smash the Conference. On the other hand, it is believed that Lord Curzon has a surprise packet in store for the Russians and Turks.

IN WESTERN THRACE.

INSURRECTIONARY MOVEMENTS.

(Received December 4th, 5.5 p.m.) SOFIA, December 3.

Turco-Bulgar insurrectionary movements are reported in the regions of Cumuljina and Xanthay, in Western Thrace, claiming many victims. It is reported that they have lost three cannon and 100 killed and wounded. The Council of Ministers has sent a Note to the Greek delegation at the Lausanne Conference, demanding a cessation of measures against the Bulgars in Western Thrace, and the repatriation of Bulgarian refugees.