Evening star., 1941-08-14
Reossuring Turkey

|
The joint Anglo-Russian pledge
given the Turkish government is an
important move in the tangled and
delicate diplomatic situation which
today prevails throughout the Near
and Middle East.
This joint declaration, made in the
form of identical notes, is twofold.
In the first place it promises that
both Britain and Russia will aid
Turkey if she is attacked by Euro
| pean power. This is designed to
| Stiffen Turkish resistance to Ger
man pressure if the Axis should
demand right of way over Turkish
territory to get at RuSSia'S trans
Caucasian oil fields or to invade
Britain'S Near Eastern bases from
Syria to SueZ.
So far as Britain is concerned, this
is reaffirmation of treaty commit
ments with Turkey which have
existed since the start of the war.
But for Russia it is something new.
Hitherto, the Soviet government had
promised Turkey nothing beyond
friendship and neutrality. Indeed,
during the period of RusSo-German
understanding, the Turks feared
that Berlin might give Moscow a
free hand toward Turkey, at least
as regards the latter'S ASiatic terri
tories. That did much to immobilize
Turkey during Germanys Balkan
aggreSSiOnS. Ankara dreaded the
possibility that, if it became en-
broiled with Germany in the Bal
kans, Russia might deliver a stab in
the back, as had happened with
Poland.
Furthermore, Anglo re-
assurances do not stop there. They
also include formal guarantees that
Turkish territory will remain intact
and her control of the Straits will not
be disturbed in any postwar settle
mentS of the Near East which would
follow victory over the AXIS powers.
That pledge has far-reaching impli-
cations. For centuries, Russia has
dreamed of controlling the Straits
which alone give access from the
Black Sea to the Mediterranean. To
attain that goal, Russia has fought
! many wars with Turkey. To prevent
Russian domination of the Straits,
Britain consistently has opposed
Russia, both automatically and by
force of arms in the Crimean War
less than century ago. If this
joint Anglo-Russian pledge proves
lasting, Turkeys chief external peril
will be over.
Another interesting point is that
there seem to be no strings attached
to Anglo-Russian reassurances. Tur-
key is not asked to take up arms
against the Axis as the price of these
promises. On the contrary, her de-
sire to remain at peace is acknowl-
edged and respected
All this naturally has produced a
profoundly favorable effect at An
kara, which had become extremely
nervous over rumorS, famed by
German propaganda, that Britain
was planning to allow Russia a pre-
dominant role in the Near East after
the war. Equally disturbing to Turk
ish minds has been the increasing
Anglo-RuSSian pressure upon Iran,
Turkeys eastern neighbor. There
can be Scant doubt that Britain and
Russia intend to establish effective
contact through Iran, which is their
one alternative route in Western
Asia, SO long as Turkey remains
neutral. Anglo-RuSSian domination
of Iran would have tended to throw
an alarmed Turkey into suspicious
| aloofneSS or even toward the Axis
camp. Undoubtedly one of the chief
reasons for the unprecedented step
taken jointly by Britain and Russia
was to quiet Turkish fears if strong
action in Iran should be deemed
necessary. Should Turkey remain
reassured even in that event, it will
represent major victory for British
diplomacy and should checkmate the
best opportunity for German propa-
ganda.