BRITAIN ACTS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 65, Issue 196, 1 June 1945, Page 4

BRITAIN ACTS

THE LATEST

STRIFE IN SYRIA. EFFORT TO PREVENT BLOODSHED ' y ATTITUDE OF UNITED STATES (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright.) (Ree. 2.20. p.m.) LONDON, May 31. Mr 1 Churchill’s message announcing that the Allied Com-mander'-in-Chief in the Middle f East has been ordered to intervene to prevent further bloodshed in the Levant was delivered to General de Gaulle this evening, and General de Gaulle immediately summoned a number of Ministers for consultation* says the Paris correspondent of the Associated Press.

The United States State Department has announced that a note was delivered to the French Government last Monday by Ambassador Caffery conveying the deep concern of the United States regarding recent developments in Syria and the Lebanon. The Paris correspondent of the Associated Press reports that the Syrian Minister to France, Adnen Bey Atissi, has been in consultation with Mr Caffeiy, to whom he affirmed his belief that the crisis can now be resolved only by intervention. Atissi said he had conferred several times with M. Bidault (French Foreign Minister) but added in at the situation had gone far beyond the stag© of diplomatic negotiations. Atissi said that French assertions that the crisis was artificially created by agitators was simply ridiculous. It grew out 'of Syrian and Lebanese demands for true independence, “When-ever-in the last 25 years the French, got into difficulties they tried to explain them by blaming the Biutish," added Atissi. According to the Paris radio, the situation in Syria this morning remained unchanged. There was complete calm in the Lebanon, said the radio. “False rumours were spreading easily because of the great distances between the large Levant cities.” Order Partly Restored. The French-controlled Beirut radio stated that the British Commander-in-Chief in the Middle East, General Sir Bernard 1 Paget, approached the Com-mander-in-Chief of the French forces in the Levant to-day. It added that the French Government had previously transmitted instructions to comply with British wishes. French troops to-day completed the

task of restoring order in the greater part of Syrian territory. Official messages to London confirm that one British officer was killed and one wounded when the Orient Palace Hotel in Damascus was hit hy shellfire. The Chamber of Deputies in Damascus is in ruins. The British Legation windows were broken by bullets. Casualties are stated to he difficult to estimate, but probably total some hundreds.

The British and American colonies were evacuated from Damascus yesterday during the armistice. The Beirut correspondent of the British United Press states that heavy shelling was heard from Damascus at 10 o’clock last night. Reports from the city state that fighting again broke out after the two hours’ truce. The telephone between Damascus and Beirut is still down, and the food shortage in Aleppo is becoming acuse. The French at Hama agreed to a truce for the burial of the dead and the treatment of casualties. No incidents have so far been reported from the Lebanon, but a five days’ strike, throughout the Lebanon started to-day as a demonstration of sympathy with the Syrians, and to protest. against French shelling. Reuter’s Cairo correspondent reports that telegraphic communication from Syria, to Egypt and Palestine is cut off. Note of Protest. The French Foreign Office spokesman said: “We hope British and American efforts at conciliation in the Levant will aid in easing the present situation and help lead the Lebanese and Syrian Governments to enter negotiations with France. General Baynet’s proposals tended toward the evacuation of the Lebanon and Syria as quickly as possible after the signing c£ the treaties with the two Governments, which would reinforce tho guarantee of their independence and simultaneously safeguard vital French interests.” The French radio had earlier stated

that the Lebanese Government had sent a note of protest to the French Government concerning events in Syria, and the Lebanese Government wap preparing a memorandum for the Allies demanding the end of the “Syrian tragedy.” The radio reported that the Lebanese Foreign Minister, Pharaon, stated in Beirut that the Lebanon was willing to negotiate, and was preparing a atmosphere for events to take a normal course. Before Mr Eden’s statement in the House of Commons this afternoon, the Paris correspondent of the Associated Press cabled: “It is obvious that France is in no mood to modify her position. Government quarters said that France still insists that the dispute should be settled directly, and that .m ediation would not be welcome.” Tlie Paris corresponednt of the “Evening Standard” says that a crisis has developed in the French Government over events in Syria and the Lebanon? The foreign Minister, M. Bidault, tOrday threatened to resign, but General de Gaulle persuaded him to remain in office/ adds the correspondent. M. Bidault was incensed over the French handling of the situation, and the fact that French troops had been sent to occupy an Italian border province with authority from the Allies. United States Note. The United States’ Note, to the French Government said: “The impression created in the United States and elsewhere is that French representatives are using a threat of force to obtain from Syria and Lebanon political and cultural concessions. It is understood that at the time the French Delegate-General to the Levant States was presenting to the Governments of Syria and Lebanon proposals which, if accepted, would give France a special position in those countries, a French warship was landing French armed forces at Beirut. It is important, at the very time when the International Security Organisation is in process of being created at San Francisco, that in order to inspire 'confidence in its future effectiveness all nations, great and small, 'refrain from any act which might give rise to suspicion, however unjustified, that any member of the future organisation may be pursuing a-policy not in conformity with the spirit or principles which that organisation is being established to defend. > “The United States considers it and France, which share the inheritance of a common democratic past, have a particular responsibility for the vitality and influence of democratic tradition, and the extent to which that tradition will continue to influence the course of history depends upon the manner in which the great- nations which are its exponents make use of tlieir position and power, and upon their willingness to co-operate with each other. “'The Government of the United States therefore, in the friendliest spirit, earnestly urges the Government of France carefully 1o review its policy toward Syria and Lebanon with the purpose of finding a way to make clear to those countries and to all the world that in dealing with the Levant States France intends to treat them as fully sovereign, independent members of the family of nations.” Mr Joseph Grow told a press conference in Washington that President Truman approved of British intervention to end bloodshed in Levant. He added that he was not prepared to say whether ,Ihe United States may send troops to that area. The United States would consider the use of Amerieii n 1 end-lease equipment by the French forces in Syria as a violation of the French-Amcrican lendlease agreement,. The United States provided France with lend-lease on the understanding that it was used for the defence of France in this war. This Government does not intend to provide' military equipment for .any other purpose. The United States does not know whether the French are actually using American lend-lease equipment against Syria,