PARIS WELCOME

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

PARIS WELCOME

HITLER REBUFF

PRAISE OF TURKS

LOYALTY APPRECIATED

RELIEF IN ROME CHECK TO SOVIET (Klee. Tel. Copyright— United Press Assn.) (Reed. Oct. 21, 9 a.m.) LONDON, Oct. 20. Reports from Paris concerning tiic agreement between Britain, France and Turkey state that the pact is ; hailed as a diplomatic defeat for j Germany, which might have military I repercussions. The semi-official Paris newspaper. Le Temps, says the agreement has ! upset Herr Hitler's war plans in south- i eastern Europe and the Near East. The paper paid a tribute to Turkey ' for holding fast to tile loyal interpro- j talion of international obligations. Tile Paris correspondent of (he New } York Times states that in a world ; where diplomatic engagements have , come to have little or no meaning, the ! loyalty which Turkey has shown to ' her engagements with England and ' France comes in France as a welcome : encouragement. "Both Moscow and i Berlin, it is known, have worked hard ! to turn the Turks away from their ! engagements and have failed." states j the correspondent. "That Moscow j should seek concessions in the new | arrangements in the changed eircum- ; stances since last May is considered j natural enough. “Then, London and Paris were 1 seeking to bring Russia, as well as ! - Turkey, into the eastern peace front. I Turkey was free to accept engage- ! menus of lmiluaFas.sistance with Eng-| land and France without contradicting ; her policy of friendship with the Soviet. Making Position Clear “If there is a contradiction now, it ! is argued, it is clue solely to the changed attitude. The action of Moscow was not a rupture, but Turkey I hastened to make the position clear by signing the tri-pnrtile accord." A message from Rome says that \ two factors resulting from the pact i * are welcomed in Italy. The first is j ‘ the alleged Turkish refusal to modify 1 the status of the Dardanelles in j favour of Russia, and the second to j , Turkey’s maintenance of her pledges j ; to Rumania, indicating that she shares ; c the Italian desire for a .settlement of j • •he Balkan problems and the organ- \ isalion of a Balkan peace bloc. i The pact is not regarded as a direct J influence on tiro war. but as likely i '. lo have the greatest importance on j 1 future developments

The Rome correspondent ofj the New York Times says that the AngloTurkish pact again brough l Italy

abruptly to the realisation that war : may be forced upon her. "It is realised that Italy is now challenged , directly and that her entry on Ger- j many’s side would bring in Turkey, j Rumania and Greece against her, as ! well as Britain and France,” states the correspondent. Potential Dynamite “It is also realised that a situation i has been created, whereby the Bal- j leans arc holding potential dynamite. ; If the Balkans arc involved in the j conflict, so will Italy be. l'or she is j also a Balkan Power, thanks to Albania. “It must be added that Italy’s policy remains neutral. Hence, she does not intend to enter on Germany’s | side under the present circumstances. ■ The pact, therefore, should not atl'ect ! the situation, except potentially. But ; from thatviewpoinl.it is more important than anything since the RussianGerman accord. “There is obvious perplexity as to whether the pact will work for peace or war. It might work for war. due *o a threat to Rumania. Vet it is appreciated that Germany and Russia may well hesitate to invade Rumania, knowing that an invasion would bring Turkey against them. So it is be- ; lieved that the pact may be a stabil- j ising factor.

Balkan Bath Blocked “One aspect certainly brings jo> 1 in Italy, namely, the check to Russia in the path .to the Balkans. “Like most events of the war. the ■ pact must tend to weaken Hie Pome- i Berlin Axis. It places Turkey and ! Greece on the side of the Allies, giv- j ing the Axis a potentially powerful j enemy in a position vital to Italy, but not to Germany. “It also increases Italy’s vulnerability if she sticks to the Axis, but strengthens her position if she does not. So it is another argument for the maintenance of neutrality. But ii war were unavoidable, it would be an argument for joining the Allies, ’ A message from Belgrade stales that the press reveals Yugoslavia s unqualified approval of the pact.