END TO STRIFE

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 166, 16 July 1941, Page 7

END TO STRIFE

CALM IN SYRIA

Country Freed From Dangerous German Intrigues British Official Wireless. Reo. nocru RUGBY, July Speaking in the House of Commons on Svria. Mr. Churchill said thai the military convention "putting an end to a period of fratricidal strife between Frenchmen and Frenchmen. and also between Frenchmen and British. Australian and Indian soldiers, all of whom drew the sword of their own froc will in the defence of France'' had been signed in a cordial spirit by hot h sides.

The fact that such relations as existed with the Vichy Government had not been made worse durinc the campaign, when the forces «>•" both sides had acquitted themselvi---with discipline, skill and gallantr\ .

was a proof of the deep approhen sion by the people of France of ti.< true issues at stake.

"It is a manifestation of that san spirit.'' he said, "which leads the:

to wave encouragement to ot bombing aircraft. although th bombs, in the hard fortune of w;. have to be cast upon French ten

Tory because it is in enemy handWe seek no British advantage n Syria. Our only object in occupy ir.t: the country has been to best tin Germans and to help win the war

"We rejoice that with the aid < General tie Gaulle's forces, led b General Catroux and General 1

Gentilhomme. we have been able t.» bring to the people of Sj-ria and Lebanon the restoration of ful' sovereign independence. Wo have liberated them from the thraldom exercised by the German Armistice Commission at Wiesbaden and from the dangerous German intrigues ami infiltrations which were in progress. The historic interests of France in. Syria, and primarily those interests lover some interests of other European nations, are preserved without I prejudice to the rights and sovereigntv of the Syrian races."

In his concluding statement Mr. Churchill said that anyone -who. months ago when the British Minister in Bagdad was a prisoner in hi. own Legation and Syria and Iran had began to be over-run by "German tourists." had predicted thai by mid-July the whole Levant e would be cleaned up and British authority re-established there. wo, \i have been considered a most imprudent prophet-

He added that the heavy and intensive fighting by our army at Solium and the stubborn defence of Crete, in which grievous losses inflicted on the enemy air power must be judged, bad played their part in arriving at the general result.

Replying to a question, he said that he had hoped to include in a statement reference to the Syrian armistice terms, but they had noi yet been released in final form. "There are I believe some minor amendments which had been agreed upon, but in substance they are entirely satisfactory to the Government."

Regarding the cessation of hostilities in Syria a communique issued by the British headquarters in Cairo states that action is now in progress to give effect to the terms of the convention signed yesterday.

FEELING OF RELIEF

SKQI'EIj to armistice Rec. 2 p.m. LONDON 7 . July 15, The ""Daily Telegraph" Syria correspondent says the changed atmosphere resulting from the Acre agree* ment was noticeable at Haifa last night. The general feeling was one of relief that a distasteful situation had ended. This sentiment pervaded the entry of Allied troops into Beirut. It was not the entry of a victorious armv. but of representatives of a nation resuming former friendly relations.

German threats to heavily air raid Haifa and also a warning to Arabs to leave the town were entirely disregarded by the residents.

"The Times" says the Syrian campaign restores the military and political situation existing in the East Mediterranean before the capitulation of France. The effect on Turkish policv should be important.

In Berlin it was officially stated that the end of the Syrian campaign does not prove that France is unable to defend her colonies.