LEBANON CRISIS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 64, Issue 31, 16 November 1943, Page 3

LEBANON CRISIS

“SITUATION EXTREMELY GRAVE*’

REPORT BY BRITISH OFFICIAL.

REPRESENTATIONS TO FRENCH (N.Z. Press Association— Copyright.) (Rec. 10.40 a.m.) LONDON, Nov. 15. The situation at Lebanon is extremely grave, said the news director of the British Ministry of Information in the Middle East (Mr O. Ryan) on his return to Cairo from Beirut. He reiterated the statement by the British Ministry of Information that Senegalese troops were used to arrest the President of Lebanon, thus countering the French denial, cabled yesterday.

Mr R. G. Casey (Minister of State, resident In the Middle East), who returned from Beirut yesterday, estimated that the casualties as a result of the disturbances thus far total 140, of which, 10 or 12 have been fatal. Mr Casey saw General Catroux at Cairo this morning and explained the position of Britain in regard to Lebanon.

Reuter’s correspondent at Algiers says that the British take a much graver view of the position than is evident on the French side. Mr Harold Macmillan (Minister Resident at Allied Headquarters in North-west Africa) has made further representations to the French National Committee. It is understood, despite vehement French denials, that reports through British channels indicate that. disorder is continuing, not only 'in Beirut, but also in several places throughout the country. A number of women and children were killed when a French tank fired on a crowd. It is stated in London that Mr Macmillan has been instructed to take up with the French Committee the question of an incident which occurred outside the British Legation at Beirut on Saturday morning, when French troops fired on, and caused casualties among, a large crowd of Lebanese students who were waiting in the hope of seeing the British Minister (Sir Edward Spears). It is pointed out that the troops apparently took action without orders from the French officers.

DENIAL OF RIOTING.

FRENCH REPORT “COMPLETEST CALM.” LONDON, November 14. A French communique issued in A 1 giers to-night denied that 48 deputies had been arrested in Lebanon for voting in favour of the amended constitution; that disturbances, including a clash between French tanks and the Lebanese, had broken out; or that sections of the Druses had revolted, with loss of life.

The communique said: “The completest calm exists in Lebanon and the incidents resulting from M. Jean Helleu’s measures have been grossly exaggerated.” (M. Helleu is the French delegate, in Lebanon.) The arrival of General Catroux would end any misunderstanding, said the communique. General Catroux arrived in Beirut to-day. The Cairo correspondent of the Exchange Telegraph reports that Egyptian students this morning, shouting “Down with France! Down Avitli de Gaulle!” marched past Shepherd’s Hotel, in Cairo, where French officers were seated on the terrace. Several hundred students demonstrated wildly outside the French Legation, shouting the same slogans. A number of windows in the headquarters of the French delegation in Cairo were broken by stones in the afternoon by Lebanese sympathisers. The Algiers correspondent of “The Times” says that the French Committee must accept some responsibility for the events in Lebanon. M. Helleu, who was in Algiers last week, discussed the situation with the committee, when General de Gaulle granted him full powers. Egypt’s Support for Lebanese. “If the recent action in Lebanon was contemplated at these discussions,” says the correspondent, “it is evident that the implications were not fully appreciated at the time.” The Turkish press lias strongly disapproved of the attitude* of the French. The newspaper “Aksam” says: “If France thinks she is going to remain in Syria after the war she is mistaken.”

Another paper says: “Syria belongs to the Syrians. There is no place there for any foreign Government.” The Ankara radio reports that escaped Lebanese politicians formed a Government at Baalbek, near Damascus. The British Minister of State in the Middle East (Mr R. G. Casey) has gone to Beirut and will consult with the British Minister to Lebanon (Sir Edward Spears). “I proclaim, in the name of the Egyptian Government and people, that Egypt will not rest until legality has been re-established in Lebanon by the return of the President and his Government and Parliament, who are alone authorised to speak in the name of Lebanon,” said Mustaplia el Nahas Pasha, Prime Minister of Egypt, in a speech to the Wafd Party Congress in Cairo. The political situation in Lebanon, he said, was now worse than before the French took “arbitrary and painful

action against the Lebanons’ legal Government.” The Egyptian Government hastened to do its duty in the face of these “guilty decisions,” and had energetically protested to the French Committee and to the British and American Governments. Egypt had; also asked the Arab Governments to join the protest. Nahas Pasha praised Britain’s attitude to Egypt. “Even during the most acute crisis,” said Nahas Pasha, “we always found our ally had the utmost respect for our independence. But Egypt is not only interested in herself. She is interested also in the welfare of sister Arab nations.”

Nahas Pasha said that as a result of consultations among Egypt, Iran. Syria, Trans-Jordan, and Arabia, an Arab congress was being convened in Cairo. He also said that the British Government had promised Egypt equal representation in the peace negotiations directly concerning her interests.

Mr Jinnah, the newly re-elected president, addressing the Moslem League in New Delhi, expressed concern at the situation in Lebanon, and said a resolution on the subject would be tabled to-morrow.