7 NOVEMBER 1941, Page 1

Turkish Foreign Policy

Diplomats from democratic countries in one box and from the Axis in another heard the speech with which President Inonii opened the third session of the Turkish Sixth Grand National Assembly last Saturday. Both were the recipients of compli- ments ; Turkey is determined to remain loyal to her alliance with Great Britain and to maintain friendly relations with Germany. But the position is well enough understood. Turkey is not willing to challenge the formidable Power whose armies and air force are within striking distance of her northern frontier and western shores unless her neutrality is directly threatened. But his desire to maintain his country as " a haven of peace in the midst of war " did not prevent the President from stating with firmness some of the essentials of Turkish foreign policy. In all the early periods of the war, and before, Turkey took the leading part in seeking to reconcile the Balkan countries and to form a common front for self-protection. In this she failed, with the result that Rumania and Bulgaria are now vassals of Germany, and Yugoslavia and Greece her oppressed subjects. In view of this situation it required some courage to declare, as the President did, that the independence of the Balkan countries remains a cardinal object of Turkish foreign policy ; for that independence can only be regained by the defeat of Germany. For the rest he said that Turkey would never, under any conditions, yield to force, and the resounding cheers that greeted this statement undoubtedly reflected the feeling of the nation. His Government is steering a course by which it hopes, if possible, to avoid par- ticipation in war ; but Turkey will not allow the violation of her territory, and if attacked she will resist