THE LATEST

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 65, Issue 195, 31 May 1945, Page 6

THE LATEST

NEWS SERIOUS

situation in syria! BRITISH. POLICY UNCHANGED NOT SWERVED ONE lOTA. (N.Z. Press Association —Copyright.) (Rec. 2.0 p.m.) LONDON, May 30. “News reaching us in the last few hours of the situation in Syria shows that the position has 1 greatly deteriorated,” stated Mr. Anthony Eden in the House of Commons to-night. Mr Eden added: “Reports indicate that their has been considerable shelling of Damascus by French artillery with serious loss of life and destruction of property. Serious disorders have also occurred in Aleppo, Homs and Hama. I know I speak for all the House when I say that the British Government deplores these events.” Mr Eden said that Cabinet was'discussing the matter when it was raised on the motion for the adjournment, and he was anxious to get hack to the Cabinet room. Mr Eden declared that Britain’s policy had been made plain over and over again, and she had not swerved one iota from it. Britain’s efforts were entirely directed tOAvard trying to reduce the temperature and to get conversations opened up which might lead to final agreement. “Unfortunately the task of peacemaker is often thankless, and it is so in this case, but in spite of all the charges that have been made, we are going to persevere,” said Mr Eden. He added that Britain had made it clear that she was prepared to withdraw all troops from Syria, as soon as agreement was reached between France and the Levant States, and under no circumstances did Britain wish* to supplant what hitherto had been France’s position either in Syria or the Lebanon. Improvement Swept Away. Mr Eden added that as a result of Britain’s efforts, there had been certain improvement in the situation until the last few days, when all the improvement was entirely swept away. “We were, when this last news reached us, engaged in taking fresh diplomatic initiaitve in order to meet the greater danger, but the situation has now deteriorated further still. Cabinet is considering the new situation anc; action that may be consequently required.” The matter was raised in the House of Commons by Sir Edward Spears, who said that he was absolutely certain that public opinion throughout the world was horrified by things which were being done in the name of the French.

Sir Edward Spears added: "The French recently have been suffering from this sort of thing themselves, and I do not believe the people of France would endorse this action if they knew it was taking place. The announcement of the withdrawal of British troops, far from reducing tension, has increased it.” Mr Eden replied: “I must correct that. Some troops have gone in for training and have come out at the end of their training. We have not withdrawn any troops.” Sir Edward Spears said that Britain had great responsibilities in the Levant because the harbour of Beirut was under the British naval command, and the British Commander-iii-Chief in the Middle East was responsible for all troops in that area. He added: “1 am certain the Government has tho full support of opinion everywhere if it is taking the strongest steps to bring home to the French our insistence that bloodshed must cease, and that they must respect the independence of the two Republics which they guaranteed.’*

Tranquility Essential. The Hon. W. W. Astor said that tranquility in the Levant was most vital to British interests, and for the prosecution of the Far Eastern war, so that ships and troops might pass through unimpeded. "We must try to get a settlement, because we cannot fail to intervene if this thing goes further. What does San Francisco mean if immediately there are two members of the United Nations shooting up each other.” Mr R. R. Stokes said: “This is a most deplorable story. The French are behaving as if they have won the war. It is time they were told quite straight where to get off.” Mr D. L. Lipson deprecated any attempt to tell France where she got off. He said that Britain needed a friendly France if peace in the world were to be maintained. “We must make allowances for France. She has passed through difficult times, and having just recovered her strength may be throwing her weight about a bit. We should have regard for her sensitiveness, and not do anything likely to add fuel to the fire.”

A two-hour truce was called in Damascus late to.night to enable the evacuation of civilians, states the Damascus correspondent of Reuters. One British officer was killed and another gravely wounded in to-day’s fighting. A San Francisco message says that the French delegation to UNCIO stated that Arab terrorists in Palestine cut the Mosul oil pipe-line connecting the Euphrates River basin with the British refuelling base at Haifa. All French newspapers gave utten. tion to the importance of the Levant situation to Anglo-French relations, says Reuter’s Paris correspondent. The Left Catholic newspaper “Aube” says: “Thank God, Sir Edward Spears is no longer British Minister in Beirut.” The newspaper “France Soir,” comparing what it calls the impartiality and correctness of the present British Minister, Mr Terence Shone, with the line taken in tlie past by Sir Edward Spears, says: “However, Sir Edward Spears left behind many collaborators permeated with the traditions of the British Secret Service—agents trained

in tho ideas of Lawrence of Arabia.” The correspondent explains that this is an allusion to about 50 British officers who were posted by Sir Edward Spears throughout Syria and Lebanon, and who, according to some French quarters, constitute points of moral support for Syrian elements hoping to enlist British and American sympathy against France. The French have been told that these officials are merely corresponding in wartime to what in peace-time would be consular officers; but the French reply is to ask what would Britain’s reaction be if France suddenly introduced 50 eon. solar officers into Palestine or Iraq. The Egyptian Government lias sent notes to Britain, America, Russia and France strongly protesting against Ihe happenings in Syria, and declaring Hint Iho French altitude has worsened the situation.