The New York Times/1925/12/14/Turks Offer Plan in Mosul Dispute
Foreign Minister, in Paris, Asks Demilitarized Zones in the Iraq and Turkish Areas
AND ENGLISH GUARANTEES
Paris Now Expects a Settlement—League Council Holds Secret Session on Snarl.
Copyright, 1925, by The New York Times Company.
Special Cable to The New York Times.
PARIS, Dec. 13.—A declaration made by Tewfik Rushdi Bey, Turkish Foreign Minister and head delegate to the League of Nations, this afternoon at the Turkish Embassy in Paris, revealed the fact that he is in a surprisingly conciliatory mood and that he will return to Geneva tonight after a trip which he described as a "leave of absence."
Inasmuch as one of the most important officials of the French Foreign Office visited the Turkish Embassy at noon, it may be assumed that Premier Briand's views have had a great deal to do with the change in the Turkish attitude, although the Premier himself is in the country for the customary long week-end necessitated by his physical condition.
"I have resolved to exceed my powers in order to prevent any conflict," Tewfik Rushdi Bey declared, "and if the Council of the League of Nations adheres to my views I am sure to get them accepted by the Turkish Government and the Angora Parliament.
"I am a practical and willing man and all this talk about definitions, 'arbitration' and 'conciliation' is mere theory.
"I favor an intermediary plan of settlement which has many supporters—sharing the disputed territory with Iraq. But my plans are completed as follows:
"To compensate for the cession of the population of the Mosul region that England agree to economic—commercial and customs—conventions which will define the relations between the zones.
"Furthermore, in order to prevent future disturbances I ask England to consent to demilitarize the territory given to Iraq, in return for which we are to demilitarize that part of the Mosul region remaining in our sovereignty.
"I have thus gone to the utmost limit in concessions.
"I may add that if the French Government believes it can become a party in securing the pact we want to make with Britain, we will be very glad and will welcome it. We will not accept the suggestions of General Laidoner's Mosul Boundary Commission that if England does not promise to extend the treaty with Iraq for twenty-five years, the whole area should become Turkish, as we do not want our legitimate rights to hinge on any such contingencies."
Paris political and diplomatic circles tonight are of the opinion that the sudden change in the attitude and tactics of Tawfik Rushdi Bey will materially alter the entire aspect of the Mosul problem in Geneva and prevent the outbreak of a new war in the Near East.
It is thought here that the British will not fail to accept some such solution of the problem.