NEW DISPUTE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23057, 7 June 1938, Page 11

NEW DISPUTE

TURKS IN SYRIA TENSE SITUATION QUARREL WITH FRANCE ALEXANDRETTA CRISIS DOMINANT INFLUENCE By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received June C, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, June 6 Turkish influence is dominant in Alexandretta, says a correspondent of the Daily Telegraph in a message from Antioch. All Christian-owned shops are closed and • the situation is tense, although the provisional Turkish Administrator-, Dr. Melek, is preserving order. Meanwhile, the League Commission is resuming the pre-election registration. It is disclosed that France guaranteed Turkey a majority over the Syrian Nationalists before the commission left Europe, therefore an election in which free choice no longer exists seems futile. Turkey lost Alexandretta when, after the Great "War, France was" given a mandate over Syria. A treaty of alliance and friendship between France and Syria was concluded in September, 1936, providing for tho termination of the mandate after three years and the admission of Syria to membership of the League. Three months later Turkey brought before the League Council the question of the future of the Sanjak of Alexandretta and Antioch, in Syria, adjoining tho Turkish frontier. Turkey claimed that the population of the Sanjak was to a large extent Turkish, and urged that the Sanjak should be administered entirely apart from the rest of Syria. France and Turkey reached a provisional agreement to prevent the disEute from becoming acute, and the eague Council appointed three observers to go to the Sanjak. However, sudden tension between France and Turkey arose about the middle of January, 1937, and Turkish troops were concentrated on the frontier. This situation was eased by the announcement that a Turkish delegation would visit Paris to discuss all questions relating to the territory. A compromise solution was reached in tho League Council on January 27, France and Turkey agreeing that Alexandretta should be independent in internal matters, but the Republic of Syria should be responsible for foreign affairs. Full agreement between the two nations was reached at Geneva on May 23 regarding the constitution and administration of the Sanjak.

The new regime came into force on November 29 last. France and Turkey guaranteed the frontiers of the Sanjak and the inviolability of the TurcoSyrian frontier. Alexandretta has a population of 107,000 Arabs, 80,000 Turks and 23,000 Armenians and Christian Arabs. Fresh trouble arose on May 30, when Turkev demanded that France should concede control of the territory. There were fatal riots in Antioch, and registrations for the elections to be held 011 .Tidy 15 were' suspended. A Turkish Army Corps of 30,000 men assembled on the frontier, and French troops occupied Antioch. It has been suggested that Turkey is planning to regain control of Svria.