THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES Tuesday, January 8, 1946. TURKEY’S DILEMMA

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26045, 8 January 1946, Page 4

THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES Tuesday, January 8, 1946. TURKEY’S DILEMMA

The present year promises to be a fateful one for Turkey, and that country is not at all reassured by the trend of recent events. A few days ago, a Turkish newspaper wrote, “ Our nerves are stretched to breaking point; our minds are troubled everywhere. We are far from being in good spirits as we enter 1946.” The main reasons for this unhappiness are the probable revision of the Montreux Convention concerning the control of the Dardanelles, and unrest ®on the north-eastern borders of the country. The spectacle of the constitution of the “ autonomous ” republic of Azerbaijan in neighbouring Persia has given cause for further uneasiness. Behind this incident, and also behind the claims for the restoration of former Georgian territory, Turkey sees the influence of Soviet Russia, and relations with that country have perceptibly cooled since the territorial seizures that were made by Russia along the Baltic in 1939 and 1940. The Soviet’s decision against a renewal of the lapsed treaty of friendship and non-aggression with Turkey has not surprisingly not served to allay suspicions. The problems with which she is confronted are of vital concern to Turkey. As a recent spokesman expressed it, “the straits form the throat of the Turkish nation and the Kars Plateau is its backbone.” The Montreux Convention is due for revision this year. Although Russia is believed to have communicated her views privately to Turkey last year, the exact nature of the demands are not known. The United States Administration has, however, put forward several proposals for the control of the straits, and these have been formally approved by Great Britain with, however, in the latter case, an expression of the view that the initiative in the matter of the revision of the Convention should be taken by either of the two parties more directly concerned, Soviet Russia or Turkey. The main point in the American proposal concerns the opening of the straits for the transit of war vessels belonging to the Black Sea Powers “ in all circumstances.” In the event of a war, a belligerent Turkey might conceivably be placed in a wholly untenable position. Soviet ambitions are believed to be more extensive, even to the extent of securing naval and air bases. This would involve an infringement of sovereign rights which Turkey could not admit. The designs of Russia may be even more far-reaching than this. Mr Molotov’s references to the Dodecanese and Tripolitania at the London Conference of Foreign Ministers may be construed as indicative of a desire to control the Mediterranean approaches to the Narrows. Referring to the former Georgian territories, which were . ceded to Turkey .in 1920, the Turkish Prime Minister, Mr Saracoglu, contends that the claim for their restoration is without factual foundation, as the mass of the .peoples in the areas adhere to Turkish language, custom and religion. This territory involves important Black Sea ports, including Trabzon, which is the head of a Useful trade outlet from Iran. The loss by Turkey of this region would bring Russian influence down to the borders of Iraq. To Russia, it must possess strategic attractions so strong as to transcend Turco-Russian relations and attain international importance. In respect of either problem, the Soviet can exert pressure to attain her ends on the other frontier of Turkey, and that country does not occupy a position so strong that she can afford to make concessions.