The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-06-06
BRITISH OBTAIN
VAST KURDISH
OIL FIELDS
OutWitted France and Other
Nations at Lausanne, Rus
tenn Bey Points Out
By AHMED RUSTEM BEY.
Former Turkish Ambassador TO the
VTnitad Rtafaa

Former Turkish Ambassador TO the
United States.
Written for international News Service.
Copyright. 1894, BY International
News serVice.)
CONSTANTINOPLE. June g.
Despite the fact that the Anglo.
Turkish conference over petroleum
and territorial rights in MoSul has
broken down, and there are inti-
nations that the dispute will be put
up to the League of Nations by
England, a well-defined rumor was
circulated here today that q secret
understanding regarding Mosul has
existed between London and Angora
since the Lausanne peace confer.
ence last year.
The diplomatic struggle between
England and Turkey for control OF
the rich petroleum fields in Mosul
Is of international Importance and
interest, owing to the vast supplies
OF fuel and wealth that British pos
session would gain for England.
Mosul Is the center Of Southern
Kurdistan, which, the British claim,
is a part of Mesopotamia, or Irak,
as the new kingdom 10 called, which
was set up under British protec.
ton.
Creates Vast Air Center.
England has constructed one Of
the biggest aviation training depots
in the world in Mesopotamia. Con-
troll Of the Mosul oil fields would
not only supply fuel for the British
fleets in the Near East, but would
supply the airplanes operating from
the Mesopotamian airdrome.
Southern Kurdistan was occupied
by England after the armistice at
Mudros which put an end to the
threat Of war between Turkey and
the allies.
Since then England put forward
Mesopotamia, contending that Mosul
was a part of the kingdom of
Irak. Mosul is inhabited by Kurds;
Mesopotamia by Arabs.
Makes Conference Comedy.
Despite the counter.racial and ter
ritorial claims, the manner in which
the Anglo-Turkish conference was
conducted, and the quiet way in
which it broke down, strengthened
rather than weakened belief in the
rumor that a secret understanding
exists between England and Tur.
key.
This understanding Is not regard.
ed as local settlement but a con-
vention forming a part Of a far
reaching arrangement for Anglo
Turkish cooperation.
II the rumor proves true 1t will
have been seen that the conference
was more or less Of a comedy in
tended to mask the secret under
standing and blind the other powers
to the real situation.
An essential condition for such
an Anglo-Turkish bargain would be
the consolidation of interests in the
development Of Turkey.
Close cooperation would be one
OF the foundatlon-ston It. would
put English and Turkish policies Of
Near East development upon vir
tually a common basis.
When the Anglo-Turkish confer
ence opened May 10, 1t was to take
up the Mosul question where the
discussions left off at Lausanne
Sir Percy Cox, British high com
missioner to Irak, headed the Brit
ish delegation. and Fethi Bey. the
Turkish.
The British set forth the claim
that Mosul was part of Mesopo
tamia and that Great Britain botl
under her mandate rights and hel
relations to the government of Iral
was within her rights in negotiatins
for concessions in Mosul.
The Turks replied to the British
contention by claiming that tn,
Kurds are Turks and that thei
territory is part Of Turkey proper
Many students Of the situation
believe that Turkey would hav'
] done far better by invoking tn,
principle Of self-determination.
The Kurds are perfectly conten
to live under Turkish rule as the
have done for the past five cen
turtles.
Other Nations Outwitted.
1t is claimed that. in the interest
Of justice, peace and stability, south
ern Kurdistan should revert in full
to Turkish proprietorship withou
any restrictions upon the Oil field
or other rights.
Any settlement that does not Civ
this country full satisfaction is des
tined to collapse later under tn
pressure of reaction.
1t would seem, however, that Enc
land has completely outwitte'
France, and that France, Italy an
the other powers that might hav
hoped for petroleum concessions il
the Near East must look elsewhere
II It should prove true that tn
Anglo-Turkish conference was cam
outage and the talk of referrin,
the question to the League of Ma
tons ts merely an idle suggestion
then England will have outwitte,
France in very clever fashion.