FATE OF LAUSANNE CONFERENCE

Dominion, Volume 16, Issue 88, 10 January 1923, Page 5

FATE OF LAUSANNE CONFERENCE

PESSIMISM IN DIPLOMATIC QUARTERS TURKS’ ATTITUDE STIFFENED In diplomatic quarters in London there is a feeling of pessimism regarding tho fato of the Lausanne Conference, owing to the stiffened attitude of the Turks since the breakdown of tho Paris Conference. BY TILtGMPH.-FBXSS ASSOCIATION. —COPYEIGHT. London, January 8. There is a feeling of pessimism, akin to apprehension, in diplomatic quarters as regards the fate of the Lausanne Conference owing to the stiffening attitude of the Turks since the ‘collapse of the Paris Conference. Notwithstanding that Allied solidarity at Lausanne is nowise affected by the Paris failure it is expected that the Allies will concentrate on drafting a Peace Treaty embodying the extreme limits of concession to which they are prepared to go to meet the Turkish claims, and the Treaty presented for definite acceptance or rejection. Tho result should definitely be known about January 20. In the meantime precautionary military movements are proceeding.—Reuter.

FRESH INSTRUCTIONS FOR FRENCH DELEGATE

Paris, January 8. M. Barr ere has returned from Lausanne for private reasons, and is returning to the Conference with new instructions from M. Poincare. —Aus.N.Z. Cable Assn.

GREEK FORCES IN WESTERN THRACE

A MEASURE OF SECURITY Athens, January 8. It» is semi-officialfy announced that the Government has assured . the French, British, and Italian Ministers that the reorganisation of . forces .in Western Thrace is only being carried out as a measure of security.—Aus.N.Z. Cable Assn. A WISE PRECAUTION January 8. Authoritative circles In London consider the Greek concentration in Western Thrace a wise precaution, because fears are entertained that tho Turks may make an effort to win Western Thrace by force of arms, if they cannot get their way at Lausanne. —Aus.N.Z. Cable Assn. TURKS TO MASS IN THRACE 20,000 MEN RECRUITED THERE (Reo. January 9, 8.40 p.m.) London, January 9. The Lausanne correspondent of the "Daily Express” continues to stress the seriousness of the position at the Conference. The Turks, he says, intend to mass 40,000 armed men in a month in Eastern Thrace. Many Turks declare that they do not want peace, but prefer that tho Conference should end inconclusively.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. (Reo. January 9, 10.80 p.m.)

Lausanne, January 9. It is stated that 20,000 Turkish troops are now in Eastern Thrace, instead of the 8000 gendarmes allowed by tha armistice terms. The rest have been recruited in Thrace by Refet Bey. —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

FLEET AT CONSTANTINOPLE TO BE JOINED BY THE EMPEROR OF INDIA Malta, January 8. Tho battleship Emperor of India, due on Tuesday, is expected to join Admiral Brock's Fleet _ at Constant!' nople, replacing the King George V, but it is not likely that the latter will leave yet. It is officially denied from Lausanne that British troops are preparing to leave Constantinople.—Aus.N.Z. Cable Assn. THE MOSUL QUESTION RECHID TO NEGOTIATE WITH BONAR LAW . n Constantinople, January 8. Tho newspapers assert that Rechld Pasha, former Ambassador to London, will be entrusted with the' task of negotiating the Mosul question directly with Mr. Bonar Law.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. TURKEY’S CLAIMS TO HEDJAZ RAILWAY DISPUTED ON BEHALF OF ARABS Lausanne, January 8. Owing to the claims of Turkey that the Hedjaz railway, being a religious foundation, should bo under the supervision of the Caliph, Dr. Naji, the King of Hedjaz’s special envoy to Lausanne, has sent Lord Curzon a Note, claiming, on behalf of the Hedjaz Government, the re-establishment of the Arab administration of the railway. . Dr. Naji, in an interview, declared that Turkey’s claim was as baseless as Rauf Boy’s statement that the Yemen was part of Turkey. Dr. Naji declared that, the Yemen was never under tlio Turks, and when . tho King of Hedjaz joined the Allies the Yemen was tho first to support him in the defence of Arab freedom. —Router. [Tho Hedjaz railway, runningrfrom Reyak, in Syria, through Damascus to Mecca along tho old Pilgrim’a track, skirting tho frontier of Paiestlnft and

the desert, was built under German supervision shortly before the war. T + was a constant target for the Aral) forces under Colonel Lawrence and the British forces in Palestine. The expedition against Amnion in March, 1918, in which the Anzac cavalry distinguished themselves, was directed a-ninst the Hodja- railway, wh ch was vital to Turkey.' The Yemen is in the extreme south of Arabia, and fought Turkey for years before the war.]