Coll 6/81 'Syria: Status of Alexandretta and Antioch.' [‎171r] (342/576)

League Council in January 1924), specifically excluding, as incompatible with
the mandate, any idea of erecting a third independent territorial unit within
the mandated territories.
27. M. Vienot observed that the Council was capable of changing the present
juridical position. The French Government felt obliged, however, to draw
^Attention to the grave practical risks which any such modification would entail
m the present case. The unity of Syrian territory was a fundamental principle
of the Franco-Syrian settlement, and the amputation of sanjak at this stage would
cause consternation among the whole Arab world, which might easily lead to
further grave troubles in the Middle East.
28. M. Vienot went on to express surprise at M. Aras’s allegations about
the present condition of the Turkish population in the sanjak. Small military
reinforcements had been sent there in view of the provocative incidents which
had taken place, and also to supervise the frontier. As justification for the
precautions taken by the mandatory authorities, M. Vienot referred to a speech
by the Turkish Prime Minister on the 13th December, containing an allusion to
the risk of a very “ embarrassing ” situation suddenly developing over the sanjak.
He said that the French Government were prepared to agree to conservatory
measures to avoid incidents on the frontier or in the sanjak, and they therefore
suggested the despatch of neutral observers to each side of the boundary. They
could not. however, agree to any measures which would encroach on the mandatory
authority of France, particularly as regards the maintenance of order. M. Vienot
felt that the Council would in any case wish to avoid any such measures, which
could only prejudge the substance of the question and cause resentment in Syria.
29. The Council adjourned again shortly after M. Vienot’s speech and the
interval between the next meeting of the Council was given over to discussions
between the parties and rayforteur with the object of reaching agreement about
conservatory measures. The French showed a disposition to make concessions;
the Turks, on the other hand, proved very obstinate. They first insisted on the
“ neutralisation " of the sanjak, and an enquiry into past events; they eventually
retreated from their position to the extent of half-agreeing to the French proposal
for an international mission of “observers’' to the sanjak, provided that it
contained a Turkish member. This, however, the French would not accept, as
they feared that not only his intrigues, but also his mere presence, might give
the impression to the population that Turkey was already taking over control.
Even then it is said that M. Aras was personally ready to accept the French
proposals. He was, however, overruled on reference to Angora, and the refusal
of the Turkish Government to accept them was, significantly enough, notified at
a meeting at the League Secretariat not by M. Aras himself, but by the chief
secretary of the Turkish President, a certain Hassan Riza Soyak. who made an
unfavourable impression by his brusque and uncompromising attitude. The
rapporteur had accordingly no alternative but to go ahead without Turkish
agreement.
30. On the morning of the 16th December* the Council met again. The
rapporteur read his report to the Council. He said that the parties were agreed
in asking the Council to postpone an examination of the substance of the question
until its next ordinary session in January 1937. As regards conservatory
measures, the French representative had been unable to accept the proposed
despatch to the sanjak of neutral gendarmerie under* a League Commissioner*,
but had offered to agree to the following measures :—
(«) The despatch of “ observers " to the sanjak alone (and not to the Turkish
side of the frontier as well).
(b) The postponement of the ratification of the Franco-Syrian Treaty by the
French Government pending a decision by the Council on the substance
of the question.
(c) The withdrawal of the military reinforcements recently sent to the sanjak
as soon as the observers had arrived.
The Turkish representative had been unable to accept the French proposals, but
had stated for his part that there was no question of any military steps being
taken on the Turkish side of the frontier.
31. M. Sandler observed that it was thus impossible to reach agreement
regarding conservatory measures. In view, however, of the French Government’s
express request to that effect, he suggested that the Council should send to the
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