PEACE FACTOR

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20074, 21 October 1939, Page 5

PEACE FACTOR

MEDITERRANEAN ACCORD WITH TURKEY BRITAIN AND FRANCE COMMON DEFENCE LONDON APPROVAL (Klee. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (British Official Wireless.) Reed. 11 a.m. RUGBY, Oct. 20 The Anglo-French-Turkish Treaty of mutual assistance is to be deposited for registration with the League of Nations.

The signature yesterday at Ankar; of tire treaty caused great satisfactior in London and the terms have beet closely examined by the press, whicl warmly approves them.

The Times describes the treaty as ; diplomatic act of far-reaching importance, which should be decisive foi maintaining peace in the Mediterran-ean-and should strengthen the ability of every State in south-easlerr Europe to look after its own interest.'and combine them with those of it.neighbottrs. Long-Term Policy “It is, moreover, as Mr. Chamberlain insisted, no mere temporary arrangement to meet a pressing emergency, but implies the determination of the three Governments concerned to pursue a long-term policy of collaboration," continues The Times. "It already is in force, for it took effect from the moment of signature.

“The preliminary accord has. like the British assurance to Poland, a purely defence character and the conditions would only be brought into positive operation if acts of others made it necessary.

“Owing to the complete inability of the minds of the German leaders to understand the binding character of the British word in the case of Poland, the Anglo-Polish Treaty did not, as intended, preserve peace in western Europe, but the punctual fulfilment of their pledges to Poland by Britain and France can only add force and imoressivoncss, even for the most sceptical. to tile undertakings now assured by Turkey and Britain. Clumsy Interception “It was entirely open to the Turkish Government to send an envoy to Moscow in response to the invitation of the Soviet Government. There is reason to believe that Turko-Soviet and Turko-British and French agreements could, without much difficulty, have been made to dovetail in with one another.

“Apparently, however, the clumsy intervention by Herr von Ribbentrop prompted the Soviet to present terms which the Turkish Foreign Minister, Saracoglu Bey, had already earlier rejected. Herr von Ribbentrop’s diplomacy has become as erratic as it lias always been mischievous and his latest effort only resulted in what is regarded, even in Italian circles, as a diplomatic victory for the Allies."