NEWS OF THE WEEK T HE second Cairo Conference, between Mr.
Churchill, President Roosevelt and President Inonti, was unexpected, and so may some of its consequences be. Many recent events have conspired to change Turkey's general attitude to the war. One is the evidence of the firm and complete understanding between Britain, America and the Soviet Union, which has led Turkey, relying on Anglo-American assurances about Russia as well as on Russia's assurances about her- self, to abandoning various lingering fears of Russian plans of aggran- disement. But the Teheran Conference has achieved more than that. The demonstration of the complete disinterestedness and genuine friendliness of the three Great Powers in regard to Iran, or Persia, • their not actively belliger!nt ally, is a great encouragement to Turkey, which is bound to Iran not only by the Saadabad Pact but by many ties of sentiment. Turkey-is an ally of Britain ; towards the United States and Russia her attitude is technically that of a neutral. It is the more significant, therefore, that when President Inonii went to Cairo he was accompanied by the American and Russian Ambassadors to Ankara, and that in the conversations the Russian Ambassador as as well as President Roosevelt took part. Turkey's alliance with this country imposes on her certain obligations in certain contingencies. There has been complete agreement so far as to the role she could usefully play. If—which remains to be disclosed—there is now com- plete agreement regarding .a different role, there is no doubt Turkey will play her part in the spirit of Mustapha Kemal, though with different sympathies. But Turkey is in a vulnerable position strategi- cally; she cannot reasonably be called on to take excessive risks. The Allied General Staffs will no doubt provide against that.
