CRISIS IN LEBANON

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 64, Issue 33, 18 November 1943, Page 3

CRISIS IN LEBANON

FRENCH VIEW OF ORIGIN. WORK OF VICHY REGIME. STATEMENT FROM LISBON (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright.) (Rec. 10.25 a.m.) LONDON, Nov. 17. General Catroux this afternoon called on the British Minister at Beirut (Major-General Sir Edward Spears) according to a statement by the British Information Office at Cairo, which continues: “The Government representing the imprisoned ministers had dissolved and the Chamber has issued instructions to officials not to co-op-erate with the Edde Administration. “Beirut was quiet during the night. —British Official Wireless. The crisis is the result of months of work by Laval’s agents say well-in-formed French circles in Lisbon, quoted by the British United Press correspondent. The French claim that the whole affair was engineered from Vichy, where it is regarded as a great success. A spokesman of the French Committee of Liberation at Algiers in a statement said: “Suggestions of disagreement between members of the Committee and M. Helleu (French Dele-gate-General in Lebanon) regarding the responsibility for M. Helleu’s actions are untrue. On the contrary, his actions to protect French commitments in the Levant have all ways had the full support of the members of the Committee.” “JURIDICAL POSITION INCONTESTABLE.” DE GAULLE’S STATEMENT. LONDON, November 16. “France cannot renounce her obligations. Her juridical position is incontestable in Lebanon,” said General de Gaulle, in a speech at Algiers. “France cannot allow troubles prejudicing the Allies’ strategic position to develop in Lebanon. The situation there is well on the way to solution. “The incident has not affected our

relations with Britain, who has interested herself as much as France in the Near East situation, and in the destiny of the Arab peoples. “I have never wished that during the war France should break her alliance with her allies. France wants a constitutional situation established in! Lebanon. She cannot be suspected of endangering the liberty of the Lebanese. She lias Avatched with sympathy the Arab people’s ideal of federation.” General de Gaulle described ' tlie Lebanese situation as “nothing but an incident.” He said that the French Committee intended to give Lebanon independence “in conformity with the terms of the mandate.” Correspondents in Beirut say that unrest is expected to continue Avliile the Lebanese President and Ministers are in prison. General Catroux, who has met M. Edde, is expected to ask for tlieir release.