THE DARDANELLES

Evening Post, Issue 17, 20 July 1936, Page 9

THE DARDANELLES

CONVENTION* SIGNED

ATMOSPHERE OF CORDIALITY

AGREEMENT POINTS

United Tress Association—By Electric Tele-

Krnph—Copyright.

MONTREUX, July 18.

The Dardanelles Conferen* approved the final text of the Straits Convention, permitting Turkey immediately to remilitarise the Straits zone and limiting the use of the Straits by warships belonging to Powers which do not adjoin the Black Sea. The Convention was signed after a banquet attended by all the delegates. , The chief points of the Convention ensure to commercial vessels freedom of the straits in peace timp and when, Turkey is neutral and ensure an improvement in shipping dues. Turkey is empowered to lay minefields, impose compulsory pilotage, and ban the passage of warships if she feels war is imminent WAKSHIPS' RIGHTS. The section dealing with warships empowers Russia, Bulgaria, Rumania, and Turkey to send submarines and heavy battleships through the straits, but non-Black Sea Powers are only permitted to send light surface warships to an aggregate"tonnage of 30,000 into the Black Sea, with a maximum of 15,000 tons at one time. Only nonbelligerents can profit by this clause in wartime. Also no submarines or aircraft carriers may pass through the straits except new submarines being delivered to Black Sea States or going to or returning from overhaul.. Another clause permits non-Black Sea Powers to send 8000 tons of warships into the Black Sea for humanitarian purposes, while when Turkey is neutral belligerent warships are only permitted in the straits in order to fulfil obligations under the League Covenant or a mutual assistance pact. The Convention will operate for 20 "years. OMISSION OF ITALY. Italy is omitted from the list of signatories, but may sign as a Lausanne signatory if she desires. > A plenary session of the conference accepted the invention amid an atmosphere of general cordiality. Viscount Sato emphasised that this was the first international instrument Japan had signed since her "unfortunate departure from the League." Lord Stanley (Britain), M. 'Rustu Aras (Turkey), and M. Litvinoff (Russia) warmly paid a tribute to Mr. S. M. Bruce's presidential tact and skill. M. Aras previously at a private meeting affirmed his Government's determination to maintain the provisions of the Treaty of Lausanne, particularly regarding the upkeep and control and the right to visit war cemeteries. Lord Stanley, expressing thanks, said that the cemeteries constituted a link between England and Turkey.

The protocol permits Turkey to apply the conditions laid down in the Convention from August 15, and to begin remilitarisation immediately.