Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1922-12-26
liter PROTEST
At CONFERENCE
Against Minorities to Send
Armenian Delegates Before
Sub-C0mmisSion

LAUSANNE, Dec. 26.-(By The
Associated Press)-A vigorously
worded protest against the decision
of the near East conference sub
commission on minorities to permit
the armenian delegates to appear
before the sup-commission and set
forth their desires was forwarded to
the conferences today by the Turkish
delegation.
Thus new discordant note mark
ed the resumption of the peace nego-
tiations after the Christmas recess.
The sub-commission on minorities
had planned to receive the Armenian
and Bulgarian representatives this
afternoon-the Armenians to ex-
plain their demands for an Armenian
national home and the Bulgarians to
set forth the position of the Bulgar-
ian residents of Eastern Thrace,
which is passing to Turkish sover-
eighty.
The Ottoman protest was address
ed to President Montagna of the sub
commission on minorities. 1t read:
I'm the official program for to-
day which was received by our dele
CATION L read, not without surprise,
that the Armenian and Bulgarian
delegations will be heard by the sub
commission on minorities. At the
end of the last meeting of this sub
commission presented objections to
your plan to hear the Bulgarian
delegation and it was agreed that
the Bulgarians would be received
privately by the allies. Now ] learn
that you not only intend to receivc
the Bulgarians at the sessions of the
sub-commission but also to hear the
Armenians. l protest energetically
against these audiences.
'If, despite the Interchangeable atti-
tude of the Turkish delegation, which
has a direct interest in the proposed
discussions, your Excellency insists
upon listening to these two delega-
tions, I cannot agree that this meet
ing should be regarded as official or
that the declarations made should
find place in the official report of
the conference.
From the official standpoint and
the standpoint of the Turkish dele
cation the session must be consider
| ed non-existent. The conference
consists of two parties. The allies
constitute one party and Turkey the
other. Therefore any session at
which Turkey is not represented
canno. be regarded as official.
despite the logical arguments
which I furnished the other day in
support of our position you have de-
cided now to hear the Armenians
as well as the Bulgarians. The Ar
menian delegation is composed of
Turkish subjects, and it pretends to
represent Armenians who are Turk
ish subjects. To enter into contact
with such a delegation would be
equivalent to employing against a
state subjects of this same state.
Any initiative or step in this direc-
ton will only encourage us to sus-
pect the assurances which have
been showered upon us in connec-
ton with the safeguarding of our
sovereign rights. Furthermore it
would be helpful to inquire which
can possibly be the official charac-
ter of the Armenians who have been
| invited and of what government
they pretend to be the delegates.
"The existing state of Armenia
has already arranged with Turkey.
by treaty, all differences existing
between them. AS Lord Curbon
himself has declared, the Armenians
now petitioning the conference are
private persons who are opposed to
the Armenian republic of Erivan as
they are to Turkey.
''If the principle is accepted that
all private persons who pretend to
be delegated by their respective
countries are to be given audience
by the conference, then the delega-
ton of the Government of he
Grand National Assembly of Turkey
will have the honor to propose. by
the same token, the admission and
audience of delegations representing
the populations of Egypt. Palestine,
Syria, Irak. India, Tunis and Tripoli,
and the Moslem minorities of Jugo-
slavia, Rumania, Bulgaria and
Greece, as well as the delegates of
Ireland, who ,ceaselessly ask our as
sistance to secure an opportunity to
present their Just and legitimate
claims"
The protest is signed by Ria Nur
Bey for the Ottoman delegation.