PARIS CONFERENCE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18515, 28 March 1922, Page 5

PARIS CONFERENCE

NEAR EAST QUESTIONS. FUTURE OF GALLIPOLI. BRITAIN FAVOURS GREEK CONTROL. Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright PARIS, March 26. The Echo de Paris says that Great Britain is advocating that Gallipoli, which is now a neutral zone, shall be handed to the Greeks under a revised treaty with Turkey, which the Conference of Foreign Ministers is discussing,—A. and N.Z. Cable. SEVRES TREATY. THE FINANCIAL CLAUSES. FRENCH VIEWPOINT PREVAILS. PARIS, March 26. The Echo de Paris says that the French viewpoint prevailed in the Near East Conference in respect to a revision of the financial clauses of the Sevres Treaty. It asserts that the former administration of the Ottoman debt was confirmed in its prerogatives. Italy is to be given a chance to extend her material interests in the Near East. It is likely that Gallipoli will be left to the Greeks, while the Asiatic side of the straits will be neutralised, but will be removed from the Straits Commission, whose authority will be limited to tho European side. The Foreign Ministers are inclined to accept the British thesis in regard to the Thracian boundaries. Lord Curzon accepted a slight withdrawal of the Rodosto-Midia line towards the west, hut refused any further concession.—A. and N.Z. Cable. LEAKAGE OF INFORMATION* RESENTED BY CONFERENCE, PARIS, March 26. Tho Near Bast Conference, resenting the intimate accounts published in the Paris newspapers and the suppressing of the official communiques, took the unprecedented step of summoning a correspondent and questioning another privately regarding the sources from which they obtained their information. —A. and N.Z. Cable. ARMISTICE PROPOSALS. ATHENS, March 26. Cabinet has agreed to the armistice proposals, with certain reservations on the military clauses. CONSTANTINOPLE, March 26. Cabinet will discuss to-morrow the reply to he sent to the armistice proposals.—A. and N.Z. Cable. TURCO-CREEK PEACE. THE ALLIES’ DESIRES. PARIS, March 27. (Received March 27, at 5.5 p.m.) The Near 'East Conference made an official statement that the armistice proposals are based on a desire, firstly, to re-estab-lish Turko-Greek peace, not imposing any conditions or suggesting the defeat of either; secondly, to reestablish the national power of the Turks under conditions permitting the resumption of independent nationality and the retention of Constantinople ; thirdly, to assure Mussulmans the most equitable regime- fourthly, to maintain the secular and religious authority of the Sultan, the Conference, on the other hand, to compensate the Greeks for sacrifices on behalf of the Allied cause during the wartime. If this operation is successfully carried out, Turkish sovereignty will be assured over Anatolia. Thus, Constantinople and a large portion of Eastern Thrace will regain under the Sultan’s complete sovereignty. The territory in the neighbourhood of the Straits, will be demilitarised whether remaining in the Turkish Empire or passing to Greek sovereignty. The protection of the Armenians will be entrusted to the League of Nations, and Turkey’s financial independence will be largely respected. Greece and Turkey will be invited to depute representatives to discuss the proposals within three weeks. —A. and N.Z. Cable.