PASSAGE TO BUCK SEA

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23595, 2 March 1940, Page 10

PASSAGE TO BUCK SEA

Suggestions that the war may shortly spread to the Black Sea region will gain support from the semi-official report that Italy may seek Turkey's consent to the despatch of warships to the Black Sea in order to protect traffic. The reason given by Rome for this move is that Britain has already sought this permission. Why there should be any call to protect Black Sea shipping has not been explained. The four littoral States, Russia, Turkey, Bulgaria and Rumania, are at peace with each other and no irruption by belligerents is possible except by permission of Turkey, the "Guardian of the Straits." The only conclusion is that Italy is thinking to provide against eventualities, which she must regard seriously and as being imminent. Incidentally she talks of invoking the Montreux Convention of 1936, which enabled Turkey to remilitarise the Straits and which was inspired by Turkish apprehensions after Italy's aggression in Abyssinia and the failure of sanctions. Piqued by the Turkish initiative, Italy refused to participate in the conference at Montreux or to sign the convention, although she subsequently adhered to it. Now she finds it convenient to rely on the convention's provisions. "Thus the whirligig of Time brings in his revenges." Many of the provisions are hypothetical and need not be considered in advance of the event they are designed to meet. It is worth noting, however, that if Turkey is neutral, peace conditions apply to the passage of warships of non - belligerents, but belligerent ships are excluded, except in fulfilment of obligations under the League Covenant or under a treaty with Turkey. If Turkey is a belligerent, the passage of warships is entirely at her discretion.