TURKEY’S REPLY TO SOVIET

Grey River Argus, 26 August 1946, Page 5

TURKEY’S REPLY TO SOVIET

U.N.O. BEST MEANS To Maintain Security (Rec. 7.30). LONDON, August 24. The Government of Turkey, in reply to the Russian Note on .the Montreux Convention, governing the control of the Dardanelles, emphasises that the maintenance of security is the United Nations’ responsibility, says Reuter’s Ankara correspondent. The Turkish Note said: The best guarantee for the - security of Russia lay, not in seeking for a privileged position on the Turkish Straits l , but in a restoration of strong relations' With a strong Turkey. ■ Turkey believes that the security of each nation is better guaranteed by international forces being placed at the disposal of the United Nations. Even in the unlikely case of Russia fearing an attack in the Black Sea, from the Mediterranean Sea, through the Straits, Turkey considers l that .this would be a case for the United Nations, to which Turkey remains firmly attached. The reply says that the Russian reproach that the Montreux Convention does not correspond with present conditions cannot be accepted by Turkey. Turkey asserts before the world, and Turkey will assert again, when the time comes, before competent authorities, its good faith and its high consciousness of its international responsibilities under the Montreux Convention. Turkey does not intend to put any obstacle in the way of applications for an international conference of the signatories to the Montreux Convention, and also of the United States. Turkey points out that an application for a revision of the Montreux Convention must be supported by one or two parties' to that Convention, and such application must be notified to all of the parties three months before the expiration of the period of five years'. Turkey’s reply comments: “'Part of the Russian Note has seemed to ignore the interests of the other signatory Powers of the Montreux Convention. The Russian Note said that responsibility for establishing a regime for the Straits must lie with Turkey and other Black Sea Powers, and that defence of the Straits must jointly be organised by Turkey and Russia. “In reply to this, Turkey says these Russian proposals ainount to the elimination of Turkey’s role as the linking Power holding .the balance in the Straits”. The reply concluded: “If Turkey had been incapable of defending by her own means the sovereign rights of the Straits, Turkey would not have escaped the fate of her neighbour during the war”.