Mr. Chamberlain Tells House of Durability Of Turkish Alliance London, Oct. 20.
Mr. Neville Chamberlain, the Prime Minister, has telegraphed to Dr. Refix Saydam, the Turkish Premier, a personal message of good wishes and congratulations on the occasion of the signing of a treaty of mutual assistance between Turkey and Great Britain and France.
"I welcome," Mr, Chamberlain says, "this additional proof of the resolve of our three countries to collaborate in furthering our common interests, and I look forward to a continuance of this ce-operation in pursuing the policy laid down in the Treaty we have just signed."
The conclusion of the pact was announced, amidst repeated cheering, by Mr. Chamberlain in the House of Commons last evening, following which Mr. C. R. Attlee, Leader. of the Labour Opposition, and Sir Percy Harris, for the Opposition Liberals, congratulated the Government, Mr. Attlee welcomed the statement of the Prime Minister, and hoped that the agreement would long endure and that Anglo-Turkish friendship might be strengthened.
Tribute to Lord Halifax In congratulating the Government, Sir Percy Harris said it was a great triumph for Lord Halifax (the Foreign Secretary) and the whole Government to have so skilfully guided what must have been dificult negotiations, He paid a tribute to the immense progress of Turkey since the war in arts, civilization, and economic development (cheers). It was particularly satisfactory, he added, that Turkey should be standing alongside Great Britain in the fight for law, order and decency in international affairs (cheers).
In his statement Mr. Chamberlain said: "The House will remember I made a statement on May 12 that His Majesty's Government and. the Turkish Government had agreed to conclude a definitive long-term agreement of a reciprocal character in the interests of national security, Pending the conclusion of the agreement His Majesty's Government and the Turkish Government declared that, in certain circumstances, they were prepared to ce-operate effectively. Subsequently, it was decided that the long-term agreement would be in the form of a tripartite treaty between Britain, France and Turkey.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.