Transjordan and Turkey
The signature of a pact of friendship between Transjordan and Turkey in Ankara is a notable success for King Abdullah. It also indicates that the Arab world, despite the formation of the Arab League, cannot remain indifferent to Turkey, which still remains the greatest military power in the Middle East. Not that there is any suggestion that Turkey contemplates joining, much less dominating, the Arab League. As a non-Arab Power she could not join the League even if she desired. But there is no doubt that Turkey is anxious to improve her relations, both cultural and economic, with her southern Arab neighbours and that Turkish diplomacy will aim at similar pacts with the other Arab powers. Since the foundation of the Turkish Republic Turkish foreign policy as laid down by Kemal Ataturk has always sought friend- ship with all the neighbours of Turkey. The Saadabad Pact signed between Turkey, Persia, Irak and Afghanikan in 1937 was an out- come of that, and the recent pacts with Transjordan and Irak are merely continuations of this traditional policy. King Abdullah of Transjordan, a staunch friend of Great Britain and one of the wisest of the Arab leaders, has long been an advocate of Arab friendship with Turkey. Unlike some Arab leaders he has never been jealous or suspicious of the power and the progress of the Turkish Republic. On the contrary, he has argued that the presence of Turkey, lying across the European entrances to Asia Minor, is a guarantee of peace. Now the pact has been signed and Abdullah emerges with new prestige in the counsels of the Arab League. The Turks have equal reason to be satisfied, for the pact, following that with Irak signed last spring, helps to break that sense of isolation which Moscow diplomacy seemed to be actively encouraging a year agc.
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