Evening star., 1939-10-20
French and British
Expect Dardane||es
To Be Kept Open
Turkey Held Committed
To Pursue Policy Of
Benevolent Neutrality
Bv PERTINAX,

ny ZEN l>AA.
PARIS, Oct. 20 (NANA).-The
obligations entered into by France,
Britain and Turkey can be sum-
married. as follows:
The three signatories are bound
automa ticaliy to assist one another,
firstly. if war breaks out in the
Eastern Mediterranean; secondly, if
France and Britain are called upon
to redeem their pledges to Rumania
and Greece, given last April ID;
thirdly, if any European power di-
reefs an attack against Turkey.
A procedure of diplomatic consul
tation must be followed, and Turkey
is committed, at any rate, to take
up an attitude OF benevolent neu-
trallty, firstly, if France and Brit
ain become victims of aggression
outside the aforementioned areas;
secondly, if they are involved in hos
tllltles as result Of support lent
to any guaranteed state tother than
Rumania and Greece; for instance,
Belgium, Holland, Luxembourg or
Switzerland thirdly. if the security
of either Signatory is impaired by
aggression falling upon any unguar-
anteed state, such as Yugoslavia.
Implies Open Dardanelles.
To appreciate the practical extent
OF the above obligations, there must
be kept in mind, firstly, the fact
that the guarantee granted to Ru-
EV-o,
Britain last April is not to be re-
garded as valid in case OF Russian
aggression. Six months ago Russia
was regarded in London and Paris
as potential partner and there
fore left outside the scope OF COM
Elitments entered into toward the
Bucharest and Athens governments.
Secondly. an attitude of benevo-
lent neutrality on the part of Tur-
key implies that. in execution of the
treaty of MontreuX of July. 1886.
she will open the Dardenelles Straits
to British and French warships.
That point is of paramount impor-
tance. There is likely to be found
the first immediate application of
the tripartite treaty. Thus a new
factor is being introduced into the
present war through the possible
assertion of the Anglo-French naval
power in the Black Sea.
Thirdly. concerning the protocol
annexed to the tripartite treaty,
where it is stated that Turkey will
not be placed under obligation to
fulfill the clauses of the treaty if
they mean in practice that she must
wage war against Russia. it may be
useful to record that. in their Mos
COW conversations with Turkish For
eign Minister Saracoglu. Josef
Stain and Premier Molotoff did not
regard this reservation. inserted on
the Ankara governments request, as
satisfactory from the point of view
OF Russian interests.
Urged War Remuneration.
They pointed out that notwith-
standing that reservation, Turkey
remained free to go to war against
Russia of her own free will. and, to
prevent that, they pressed Sara
coglu to subscribe to pledge of alb
solute remuneration of war in all
circumstances. Moreover, they in
sisted on revision of the Montreux
convention which would have trans
formed Turkey into passive jani-
tor for Soviet Russia in the Straits.
Moreover, attention must be called
to the fact that France and Britain
are guaranteeing Turkey against
Russian attack in Asia Minor, ETC.
AS to Russia, the tripartite treaty
Is strikingly incomplete. On the one
hand, great care has been taken by
the French, British and Turkish
negotiators not to close any door
against Moscow and to make its
accession to the tripartite system of
resistance to aggression possible in
the future as long as Russia has
refrained from committing irrepar-
able deeds. On the other hand, it
must not be overlooked that the
treaty has been concluded for Is
years. which means it will have to
be readapted to new situations, and,
were Russia to become belligerent
by the side of Germany, it would
probably be developed beyond its
nreSent clauses and be recaSt