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February 1, 1951

News about Turkey: Turkish Missions

This document was made possible with support from Youmna and Tony Asseily

55/12

28/1/1951

News about Turkey: Turkish missions

 

I obtained this information from consular sources in Turkish Aleppo:

 

Turkish sources and official news from the Consulate say that three Turkish missions will visit Syria in early February 1951:

 

The first comprises 40 students and professors from major Political Science Faculties;

 

The second comprises 35 students and professors from the Faculty of Commerce and Economics;

 

The third comprises 35 students and professors from the Faculty of Arts.

 

The aim of these missions is to study various aspects of Syria’s history, culture, and social development and meet with high officials who graduated from these faculties, such as Hachem al-Atassi, Shaker al-Khabli, Raouf Beik al-Ayoubi, Hamdi Gharbouz, and Hassan Beik al-Hakim. They will also visit members of political parties based in Damascus and Aleppo, such as al-Hizb al-Watani, Hizb al- Shaab, the Arab Socialist Party, the Islamic socialist Front, and the Baath Party. Prince 'Adel Arslan has asked the Syrian Ministry for Foreign Affairs to facilitate their trips. I also learned that among the youths taking part in these missions are officers from the Military Command, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs; and the Sûreté Générale; they will also visit the frontiers, major sites, and various regions of Syria. The Syrian Government has taken all the necessary measures to afford them the best welcome and treatment possible.

 

As I shared with you before, certain sources confirm that Turkey has asked America to send a sufficient number of troops to protect Syria and Lebanon because it is not at ease regarding the state and military capability of the Arab countries. This is what I explained to you about a month and a half ago, because the Turkish military is still in Dardasiya with the intention of surrounding Turkey from the Kurdistan-Mosul-Aleppo side to prevent any rescue attempt, from the sea or land, from reaching it. Russia wants to keep Turkey busy fighting off Kurdish gangs so that it can launch a surprise attack against it if need be.

 

Turkey will not be able to harbour enmity towards Russia or attack it without the assistance of land and air power from big and Asian powers within the shortest delays possible.

 

News coming out of Turkey confirms that the Government has arrested a large number of military officers after it was proven that they have conspired against the security of the State and cooperated with the Soviet Union. They also discovered that many students from military and big colleges have been involved.

 

Aleppo’s consul is still pursuing his investigation into the activities of those Kurds who hold regular meetings at the Syrian-Turkish borders; reports he sends to Ankara say that these movements are not at all reassuring.

Three Turkish missions will visit Syria in February to study Syrian history, culture, and social development. As well, Turkey has asked the U.S. to send troops to protect Syria and Lebanon.

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Emir Farid Chehab Collection, GB165-0384, Box 12, File 55/12, Middle East Centre Archive, St Antony’s College, Oxford.

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2017-12-13

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Youmna and Tony Asseily