A FAVOURABLE TURN

Southland Times, Issue 19654, 3 October 1922, Page 4

A FAVOURABLE TURN

The swift alternations of the Near Eastern situation from the extreme of military tension to the easier ways of diplomacy are again in evidence. The acute crisis in which Sunday night’s messages left the position, has given place to a condition favourable to negotiation and presenting elements of promise of the peaceful solution which seemed io be pros-

pect. Mustapha Kemal, in spite of the high tone he earlier adopted, has chosen the better part. He has agreed to a preliminary conference with the Allied Generals at Mudania to-day, and this meeting, it is hoped, will be the precursor of a larger diplomatic conference to settle the terms of peace. Meanwhile it is agreed that all troops in the neutral zones will be confined to the oosition.<? they at present occupy, and the Mudania conference will arrange the condition of evacuation of the zones in Chanak and Thrace. From the latter the Angora Government demands the immediate withdrawal of the Greeks. The immediate danger, therefore, has passed, and high hopes are entertained of the success of the conference. Kemal’s change of front is attributed largely to the persuasion of M. Bouillon, the French diplomatic envoy, coupled with the French Government's remonstrance upon his menacing operations, but it is likely to be not less due to the uncompromising fashion in which his proceedings were met by the British authorities, whereby the Nationalist commander was led to the conviction that the game he had been playing could not proceed further with safety, and would not result’ in a British retirement. Mr Martin Donohoe reports from Constantinople that Kemalist circles arc watching with interest and concern the progress of events in Greece, in which they see no good omen for their aspirations in Thrace, and they fear that Kemal’s dilatoriness will result in the loss of the fruits of his recent victories. A welcome change in the tone of the French press is mentioned this morning. While most of the papers counsel a British withdrawal from Chanak to avoid hostilities in which Britain cannot look for active trench co-operation, they emphasise the resolution of France to adhere loyally to her engagements, particularly those contained in the joint Allied note to the Turks.