Turkey’s Position Discussed

Northern Advocate, 23 May 1941, Page 5

Turkey’s Position Discussed

(Rec. 2.30 p.m.) LONDON, May 22. The latest news from Syria indicates that the position is substantially unchanged, says the Ankara correspondent of “The Times.”

French military material and ammunition are still reaching Iraq by railway. Some German officers are reported to have arrived at Beirut to organise this traffic. German aircraft are being flown to Iraq across Syria, the passengers consisting of German officers and instructors.

Shipping circles in Istanbul are talking of the Germans attempting to charter Russian steamers to convey German arms and amunition to Turkish ports, from which it is intended to send cargoes to .Iraq by rail. In view of the Turkish feelings about the situation in the Middle East it is difficult to imagine Turkey giving the Germans any transport facilities which she is not bound to give under the convention as in the case of railway traffic between Syria and Iraq. Germans In Syria.

Expectations that the Germans would not long be content with the transport facilities to Syria are speedily being realised. There are already indications of the Germans using the aerodromes at Damascus, Rayak, Palmyra and Aleppo as bases for operations against the British in Iraq. The Turks expect this development will compel the British soon to send land forces against Syria. Turkish security is not regarded as being threatened while the Germans confine their activities to aerial hostilities with the British in Syria, but a secton of opinion, represented by the eminent publicist (Yaltchin), strongly holds the view that a full scale German military occupation of Syria and Iraq would mean the death of Turkey by asphyxiation.