Coll 6/81 'Syria: Status of Alexandretta and Antioch.' [‎111r] (222/576)

THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY’S GOVERNMENT
EASTERN (Syria).
January 4, 1937.
CONFIDENTIAL.
r T. X.
662
Section 1.
E 41/3/89]
Copy No.
(No. 58.)
Sir,
Acting Consul Catoni to Mi
yived^Janu'iry 4, 1937.)
Aleppo, November 24, 1936.
I HAVE the honour to report that the elections of the first degree were
carried out in the Sanjak of Alexandretta on the 15th November for the purpose
of the constitution of a new Parliament to ratify the Franco-Syrian Treaty.
These elections have, at last, torn off the veil behind which the animosity of
the various groups in the sanjak, .and, more especially, the pro-Turkish element,
were hidden.
2. The elections, although officially proclaimed to have been a success in
Government circles, have, in reality, turned out to be a complete failure. It has
been estimated that only 8 per cent, of the electors voted, and the pro-Turkish
element abstained from voting altogether. The cause of this failure is attributed
to the strong idea prevailing in the sanjak that France is prepared to hand
over this district to Turkey, and the inhabitants fear that they may be black-listed
when the Turks take possession, should they vote for a Syrian Nationalist.
3. A clash took place at Antioch on the day of the elections between the
opposing parties, and the local authorities were obliged to reinforce their police
by calling up reserves of Arab policemen from the interior, and the military
authorities were advised to have troops standing by.
4. During the course of a conversation which I had with M. Durrieux, the
French delegate to the Sanjak of Alexandretta, he informed me that the Turks
had sent several agents into the sanjak to stir up the pro-Turkish element against
the Arabs with the idea of wrecking the elections. He read to me a letter
from one of these agents to a pro-Turkish propagandist at Kirik-Khan, which
had been intercepted by the local authorities, and contained the following
instructions: that the propagandist should inform all his supporters that Turkey
would take possession of the sanjak in the immediate future, and that the four
Turkish regiments at present on manoeuvres between Kurd-Kulack and Islahie
were ready to advance across the Turco-Syrian frontier as follows : one column
to Azaz and Rihanie, a second to Kirik-Khan and Antioch, and a third to
Alexandretta. M. Durrieux added that, in fact, two Turkish divisions were
actually on the Turco-Syrian frontier and that, to his knowledge, a Turkish
agent has been in contact with the villagers and mountaineers living on the
frontier between Fayas and Hadjilar.
5. It has further come to my knowledge from a reliable source that arms
are being smuggled on a large scale across the frontier for the purpose of arming
pro-Turkish element in the sanjak. From my long experience of this country
I have come to the conclusion that, if the necessary and energetic steps are not
taken by the mandatory authorities, a serious clash will take place in the very
near future with, of course, the resultant serious bloodshed on both sides.
6. I am sending copies of this despatch direct to His Majesty’s Ambassador
at Angora, to His Majesty’s consul-general at Beirut and to His Majesty’s
consul at Damascus.
I have, &c.
JOSEPH CATONI.
[906 d—1]