Evening star., 1943-12-11
Turkey Thought Likely
To Fight Next Spring,
But Not Immediately
(The jollo,Ding article passed
the strict Turkish censorship.)

BY WILLIAM b. KING,
Associated Press Foreign CORRESPONDENT.
ANkARA, Dec. 9 Delayed -
Turkey still travels the road which
probably will lead her to war beside
the Allies by Spring, but the feeling
in this capital that she might hop
into the fight in the next couple
Of months has been largely dissi-
pated by reports from the Cairo
conference.
Foreign Minister human Meme
mencioglu's statement at his
Wednesday press conference that
Turkeys foreign policy remains
unchanged" must be taken at its
face value.
1t must be considered in light of
the question. Just what is Turkish
foreign policy?"
Self-Interest Is Pivotal.
This policy, though never publicly
defined, is frankly based on an alli-
ance with Great Britain plus, of
course, an answering determina-
ton to preserve the best interests
Of Turkey.
Thus Turkeys policy can be fully
described as nationalist first, pro-
Allied second.
The unchanged foreign policy,
therefore, leaves the door open either
for eventual belligerency or for con-
tinuation of what Menemencioglu
has called 'out of war policy"
Supporting Menemencioglu's press
statement was vague but meaning
full editorial in the official news
paper illus, which assured Turks
that the nations foreign policy will
remain within the framework of de-
cisions taken at the last meeting of
the executive group OF the Peoples
Party"
Approved Alliance.
At that secret session strong argu-
ments were made for and against
direct participation in the war and
the meeting ended with unanimous
approval of the government S policy
of adherence to the Anglo Turkish
alliance.
Strict adherence to the alliance
must make Turkey q belligerent in
case war flares On her Balkan door
step. But. strict adherence to the
alliance also would have put Turkey
into the war long ago.
Under its terms, either Turkey or
Britain must come to the aid of the
other in case of an attack in the
Mediterranean area. This situation
arose first when Italy entered the
war and again when Greece was in
vaded.
Turkey declined in the first In
stance because of the chance of ir-
ritating then neutral Russia. and in
the second case because 1t would
nave been militarily stupid to have
done otherwise.
DodecaneSe Affair Ignored.
The treaty obligation might have
been invoked when the Nazis routed
Allied troops out of the Dodecanese
Islands. The question apparently
never came up and the Dodecanese
affair is matter all concerned
would rather have forgotten for the
moment.
1t is unlikely that Turkey took
any Il told you So attitude about
the Dodecanese to the Cairo con-
ference as basis of argument. The
Turks have never let Allied setbacks
swerve them from their pro-Allied
viewpoint.
The great accomplishments Of the
Cairo conference. which truly took
the Turks further into the Allied
camp, were solidiflcation of Turkeys
friendship with the United States
and elimination Of misunderstand-
ings in her relations with Russia.
Turko- American friendship. which
has been growing rapidly for the
past two years, was brought to full
fruition through the personalities of
Presidents Roosevelt and Ismet Ino-
nu, who apparently became real
friends during their meeting.
Already it is apparent in Ankara
that the feeling of fear and resent
ment toward Russia was virtually
erased as the result of the confer
ence.