TURKEY’S LATE WAR ENTRY

Grey River Argus, 16 March 1945, Page 7

TURKEY’S LATE WAR ENTRY

DEFENCE OF HER POLICY BY BRITISH ADMIRAL (Rec. 6.30) LONDON, March 14. Admiral Sir Howard Kelly who tor over four years was special British representative in Turkey, in a speech to the Royal Empire Society, spoke of Turkish policy during the war. He said that on returning to England, he found it had been misunderstood. An entry by Turkey into the war in the earlier stages would have been for us a diplomatic victory, but it might have also produced a moJitary disaster. Turkey lacked all essentials of modern warfare, and well-known fighting qualities of the Turkish Army could never make up for this lack of material. But at a moment when our prospects were far from brilliant, the Turks, by their own wish, signed an Anglo-Freneh-Turkish treaty to our considerable benefit. Thus Turkey was a restraining influence on Italy at. a time when her intervention might have been a positive misfortune for us, and throughout the whole war Turkish influence in the Moslem world benefitted us far more than had ever been recognised. However, where our fortunes were at the lowest ebb, the President and Prime Minister or the Foreign Minister, always found opportunities to make speeches in wnich they reaffirmed fidelity to the treaty and confidence in the ultimate victory of our cause. Failing a declaration of war on the side of the Axis, Turkey was pressed to the limit to grant bases and to permit the transport, at any rate, of war materials, if the transport of personnel was refused. Happily for us, Turkey stood as firm as a rock, and told the Germans that any infringements of her rights would be resisted by force of arms. Moreover, the Turks had helped us in many ways far surpassing the bounds of benevolent non-belligerency. In the difficult days of the Libyan camapign they gave generous aid by allowing us long use of a special type of craft most suitable for landing tanks and wheeled transport, at a time when no British vessel for such service was available. During our temporary occupation of some Dodecanese Islands, the Turks gave us vital materials and assistance, and during the evacuation our losses were much reduced, thanks to their help. Admiral Kelly said Turkey had no territorial ambitions, but she must take a prominent part in any settlement of Balkan problems. Turkey was in full process of development, and ths<re were immense possibilities for us to assist in this development under numerous schemes to be carried out after the war. Friendship and co-operation with Britain was not a wartime measure for Turkey. It was a long-term policy and if we did not want to profit by it, there were plenty of others anxiously waiting to seize the opportunities we should have! missed.