THE DARDANELLES

Hokitika Guardian, 20 July 1936, Page 5

THE DARDANELLES

POWER TO TURKEY MONTREUX DECISIONS REACHED (United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright). MONTREUX, July 19. At the plenary session, the Dardanelles Conference accepted the Straits Convention amid an atmosphere ot general cordiality. M. Sato emphasised that this was the first international instrument that Japan had signed since her unfortunate departure from thu League. The protocol permits Turkey to apply the conditions laid down in the Convention from August 15. She is beginning her re-militarisation of the States immediately the convention is signed. It empowers Turkey to lay minefields, to impose compulsory pilotage, uud to ban the passage of warships if she feels war is imminent. The Convention’s chief points ensure commercial vessels freedom of the Straits in peace time and also when Turkey is neutral iu wartime, and ensures an improvement as to shipping dues. The section dealing with warships empowers Russia, Bulgaria, Rumania and Turkey to send submarines and heavy battleships through the Straits, but the non-Black Sea. Powers are only to be permitted to send light arid surface warships of an aggregate tonnage of thirty thousand into the Black Sea. with a maximum of fifteen thousand tons at one time. Only non-belligerents can profit by this clause in wartime*. No submarines or aircraft carriers may pass through the Straits, except new submarines being delivered to Black Sea States, or ones going for o returning from overhaul. Another clause permits non-Black Sea Powers to send eight thousand tons of warships into the Black Sea for humanitarian purposes, while, when Turkey is neutral, belligerent warships will only be permitted in the Straits in order to fulfil obligations under a League Covenant,' or a mutual assistance pact. The Convention will operate for 20 years. Italy is omitted from the list of signatories, but she may sign as a Lausanne signatory, if she desires. The Convention is to be signed at 10 p.in. on July 20, after a banquet at a loca hotel. GERMAN DENUNCIATION, BERLIN, July 17. The German press denounces the Dardanelles agreement as a European Lne-up against Germany, and deplores Turkey’s inclusion in what is described an “anti-Nazi” bloc.