TURKISH SITUATION

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10537, 13 March 1920, Page 7

TURKISH SITUATION

A GRAVE OUTLOOK COMPLEX . PROBLEM FOR ALLIED SOLUTION.

PROTECTION OF ARMENIANS.Be Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright published-in **Th&'Times.*’ ■■ (Received March 12, 5.5 p.m.) ' ’ '' ' LONDON, ‘ March 11. The Turkish .outlook.As .grave. The wide area of affected regions presents n military problem of considerable magnitude. ‘ ■ The presence of Lord ■ Beatty/and the Secretary for War at Wednesday’e meeting indicates the importance' the Supreme Council attaches to the issue, whicll is riot confined to Coustantinopfe. The Council considered not only military measures. and . the protection of Armenians, but the Contingency of the combined operations of the Turkish national forces with a section of Syrian Arabs... ..■ . .•■. - -

TURKS AND;ARABS.,, SUPREME CORN OIL CONSIDERING MILITARY MEASURES. : Imperial, News-Servioei . . i (Received March .12. 9.6 p.m.)LONDON. March 11. The Supreme Council mot yesterday and issued a communifiue announcing that ,it had considered the measures which were being taken, to ensure the protection of- the- Armeniahs .and other minorities In Tuphfljs»r-»‘ot>-..' "•. •; It is significant that Mr Winston Churchill, Air WaltertLong. Lord- Beatty, General Thwaltes and M. Venizelos attended. It is stated that the Council ordered disciplinary occupation of Constantinople as well as a number of strategic points in Asiatic and European Turkey forthwith, while America has been urged to participate in the measures* tor* the protection«of the Armenians. ■ - - ■ The Supreme Council. is stated to be also considering military measures for providing against the possibility of active co-operation between, the Turkish Nationalist forces and sections of Arabs in Syria. . ■- - ' ' Official circles are of opinion that the Allied forces, with troops which Greece is believed, to be neady* to- furnish, assure the Allies of military superiority sufficient for any emergency in the immediate future, but the outlook is serious owing to the extent of the regions which the-crisis may affect. . General DCsperey ip due»at Constantinople to-day to reassume command of the Allied armies. ~ . OILICIAN' SITUATION 'MORE SERIOUS. Imperial News Service. (Received March 12, 7.30 p.m.) LONDON. March 11. The situation in Cilicia is becoming more serious. A state of war exists between the French and Turkish nationalities in ■ the province of— Alexandretta, where the French’ garrison are small and the insurgents’Strong; : bu.t the French garrisons at M«Sfsiii'a''ahd. A3na are. 'strong’ enough to miihtaih .■TURKS .-MUST GO. PRESIDENT' ’ WILSON'S DETERMINED ATTITUDE. ' kustralinn ..md -N.Z. ■ Pnble A**ociat'na. WASHINGTON, Mar C h 10. White House officials say that President Wilson will not hesitate to insist on the expulsion of the Turks from Europe. AN AMERICAN REPUDIATION. WASHINGTON, March 11. Tile State Department refuses to admit any American-responsibility for delay in the Turkish settlement as alleged in-a speech -by- LordCurzon, and points out that the Supremo Council neither informed the United States of its decisions nor asked for its opinion.