FRONTIER CLASH

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23591, 27 February 1940, Page 7

FRONTIER CLASH

TURKS AND RUSSIANS STATE OF TENSION TROOPS LATER WITHDRAWN By Telegraph—Press Association: —Copyright LONDON, Feb. 25 A Russo-Turkish frontier incident led to an armed clash, after which the Turks offered to withdraw their troops from the border if Russia did the same, says the Belgrade correspondent of the Times. Later it was reported that Turkey and Russia had withdrawn , their troops from the immediate vicinity of the Caucasus in order to avoid friction. Turkey, it is believed, will maintain 200,000 soldiers in the Caucasus. There is little doubt that Russian soldiers crossed the Turkish frontier last Tuesday and certain military movements are occurring, although their location is secret.

The Turkish press does not refer to the frontier incidents, but unanimously emphasises Turkey's determination to uphold her independence. Therefore, it is well, it says, to be prepared for any emergency.

Telephonic communications between Turkey and Hungary have been resumed.

Whereas the Istanbul correspondent of tho Times describes the rumours which arose from a telegraphic breakdown as fantastic, the Belgrade correspondent of the paper says Turkish assurances do not seem adequately to account for the complete absence of all political information from Turkey, except laconic denials of the more sensational reports. International official communications are apparently possible and a few carefully censored press despatches have been permitted to leave Turkey. A message from Constanza says the tanker Vav, loaded to capacity with oil for Britain, was held up because the crew refused to sail for fear of being torpedoed in the Black Sea.