Turkey Keeps Out at Present

Manawatu Times, Volume 65, Issue 259, 1 November 1940, Page 7

Turkey Keeps Out at Present

AGREEMENT ON COURSE OF ACTION REACHED WITH BRITAIN LONDON, Oct. 30. Ministers representing the Balkan Powers met to-day at the Egyptian 1 oreign Office at Cairo and exchanged views on the Balkan situation resulting from the Italian invasion of Greece. Tho Turkish Minister, M. Sevki Alhan, declared that Turkey had made a complete agreement with Britain regarding present and future action. Turkey’s non-participation in the present hostilities, he declared, might well be more favourable to the general situation than her participation. Railway services between Turkey and Europe have ceased. This ia believed

to be due to congestion at the Greek junction of Pythion resulting from the Greek general mobilisation. General Sir Archibald Wavell, Com-mander-in-Chief of the British forces in the Middle East, in a special broadcast from Cairo to the Turkish people on the occasion of Turkish Independence Day, sent greetings from the British forces in the Middle East to their Turkish comrades and allies. “Many of us met you on the battlefield and learned to respect and admire your skill and tenacity,” said Sir Archibald. “Tho world knows that peace has in no way sapped the Turks’ military spirit or the hardiness of their gallant people, and that any threat to their independence or challenge to their freedom of action will bo met in the same spirit in which Turkey has met those of the past.”