STRAINED RELATIONS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25803, 26 March 1945, Page 6

STRAINED RELATIONS

TURKEY AND RUSSIA CRITICISM BY SOVIET PRESS LONDON, Mar. 17. Relations between Turkey and Russia continue to be unsatisfactory, says the Ankara correspondent of The Times. Evidence of this, adds the correspondent, is the persistent unfriendly criticism in Russian broadcasts and the press of Turkish policy during the war and personal attacks on Turkish politicians and publicists, who are accused of Fascist leanings, and of the more or less veiled defamation of the present Turkish regime, which is represented as undemocratic. The Russian attitude is stated in Ankara to be due to the Anglo-Turkish alliance and the Turkish Government’s stand against any political agitation within the country.

The great majority of Turks are convinced that the Soviet, being averse to the exertion of influence by any other Power over countries adjacent to Russian territory, objects to the ties of alliance binding Turkey and Great Britain.

Moreover, it is pointed out that the Soviet has clearly stated that it desires to see “friendly” Governments established in all neighbouring States, the term " friendly ” being interpreted in Russia as meaning a Government which is largely, if not exclusively, Communist.