THE NEAR EAST

Otago Witness, Issue 3593, 23 January 1923, Page 42

THE NEAR EAST

A KING FOR PALESTINE. LAUSANNE, January 14. It is rumoured that Emir son of King Hedjaz, will be chosen K*ng of Palestine. Absullah agrees with the Earl of Balfour’s plan regarding the Zionists in Turkey ana Mesopotamia. It is expected that the Mosul question ■will be settled shortly. It is proposed that the Arab territory shall be attached to Mesopotamia, and the Turkish and Kurdish territory to Turkey. BRITISH SOLDIER ASSASSINATED. CONSTANTINOPLE, January 14. Lieutenant Chapman, a British artillery officer, was found shot yesterday. It is believed that he was assassinated. Advices from Smyrna state that 11 Christians who were sentenced to death by the Tribunal of Independence, have been hanged. BRITISHERS ASSAULTED. CONSTANTINOPLE, January 16. Turks murderously assaulted and seriously wounded two Coldstream Guardsmen at Galata (a suburb of Constantinople). The attack was entirely unprovoked. [Later. 7 The attack on the Coldstream Guardsmen was undoubtedly the consequence of the recent Kemalist policy of disparaging the British. The wife of a British ex-major, when leaving her home recently, was arrested by the police and accused of prostitution. The police tried to take her to the police station for medical examination, but the lady clung to a tree. The police struck her to loosen her hold. Luckily her husband arrived, and secured her release with great difficulty. The police abuse all Britishers, whom they declare that they intend to expel from Constantinople. The Kemalists have ordered the proprietors of the music halls not to reserve boxes for the British. No satisfaction has yet been obtained for the murder of the British soldier at Kashimpasha a month ago. On the contrary, the Turks refuse to give up two British aviators unless they pav a fine of £IO,OOO for killing a Turkish gendarme during the recent incident in. Gallipoli. LONDON, January 16. It is learned in London that one of the Coldstream Guardsmen in Constantinople has died. The British authorities, with the approval of the Turkish Administration, are taking strong action to bring the assailants to justice. KEMAL’S MESSAGE TO EGYPT. CAIRO, January 15. Kemal Pasha has telegraphed inciting the Egyptians to throw off the British yoke, saying: “Turkey follows closely the "fulfilment of Egyptian independence, andhopes to see Egypt occupy her rightful place among the nations. DETERMINING CALIPH’S POWERS. CONSTANTINOPLE, January 14. The Angora National Assembly has appointed a committee to fix the powers and attributes of the Caliphate. It is understood that the committee will collect the views of the Ulemas throughout the country, as well as of prominent non-Turkish Moslems. The report will be based on their opinions. TROUBLE AT MOSUL. PARIS, An Angora communique gives further details of the Mosul insurrection. It says that in the Eorbil district British planes are throwing incendiary bombs, and that iue ‘rebels are burning villages and destroying corfi and cattle. A MINOR AGREEMENT. LAUSANNE, January 16. At the meeting of the Minorities Commission the Turks agreed to the protocol regarding the exchange ti- jwpulation.

EXECUTIONS IN ASIA MINOR. CONSTANTINOPLE, January 17. Adana newspapers 6tate that the Turks executed 38 Christians who were found attempting to escape in a motor boat on the Black Sea. GALLIPOLI’S SACRED GRAVES. LAUSANNE, January 18. The Sub-Commission that was appointed to deal with the question of the preservation and upkeep of the graves on Gallipoli and elsewhere, and also with the question of war prisoners, has reason to believe that British nrisoners are still in Asia Minor. The meeting of the Sub-Commission was satisfactory. The Turks accepted the Allied draft in regard to the exchange of prisoners, and seemed impressed by the great stress laid on the feeling of Britain and the dominions in regard to the upkeep and ceding of the sacred graves on Gallipoli, but asked for time to consider the question. PERSIA WANTS REPRESENTATION. TEHERAN, January 18. The Persian Government’s application to be represented at the Lausanne Conference was refused on the ground that Fersia is not a belligerent in the Near East. The Government thereupon protested to the British, Italian, and French Legations, claiming that as the conference had heard a Chaldean representative and had discussed matters in which Persia was .interested she had a right to representation. GRAECO-TURKISH WAR. ATHENS, January 18. 'Hie Government has decided not to agree to the payment of any indemnity to Turkey. The newspapers urge the Government to defend the nation’s interests with arms. PATROLS EXCHANGE SHOTS. PARIS, January i 9. Constantinople advices state that the situation in Thrace is dailv growing more perilous. The Turco-Greek forces are facing each other on the Maritza.. It is believed that the Greeks have 60,000 wellequipped men there. Firing has been exchanged between Greek patrols and Turkish gendarmes on the Ipsala front, and Turkish peasants fired on a Greek advanced post at Bondjak. RUMOURED TURKISH OFFER TO AMERICA. LAUSANNE, January 20. It is understood that in the event of a rupture at the conference, the Turks have agreed to sign a separate treaty with the United States, giving . the latter more than the Allies ever demanded, including the freedom of the Straits for both warships and merchant ships, a complete open door, most favoured nation treatment, and juridical guarantees to replace the capitulations. If the United States obtains such a treaty Turkey intends to model other separate treaties upon it.