BRITISH FORCES IN IRAQ

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23319, 3 May 1941, Page 9

BRITISH FORCES IN IRAQ

Difficulties Over Treaty Rights

POSSIBLE THREAT TO AIR BASE

(Received May 2, 7.30 p.m.) (8.0.W,) RUGBY, May 1,

Reports from Bagdad show that certain difficulties have arisen in connexion with the presence of Imperial forces in Iraq, Following the arrival of British troops at Basra, the Iraqi Administration suddenly took the line that it could not agree to the arrival of further British troops before those who had already arrived had passed through. Since the British Government could not agree to any derogation of its clear treaty rights, the movement proceeded as-planned, and the units disembarked at Basra.

Certain concentrations of the Iraqi Army, however, have now taken place which might be regarded as a threat

to the security of the British air base at Lake Habbania, 60 miles west of Bagdad; The Iraqi Administration is being pressed to remove the troops in question as soon as possible to avoid the risk of any incident. ■ The .commanding officer at Lake Habbania sent a peremptory message to the Royal Air Force commander: that training should be discontinued as long as Britain failed to keep to the treaty. ' . , The Administration’s change of attitude seems to be due to Axis promptings. The Administration earlier liberated several persons who had been imprisoned for participating in an attack on the British Consul at Mosul, and for the murder, in. 1939 of Mr MonckMason, the Consul in Mosul, which German agents inspired. The Italian Minister remains at Bagdad. . , _ , . ’ . The Administration’s attitude is not remotely consonant with its treaty obligations. The British Ambassador in Bagdad (Sir; Basil Newton), as a precautionary measure, has brought British non-combatants into the Legation.' There is evidence that the Administration has facilitated the passage of “German tourists” into Syria, where they are intriguing with the leaders of pan-Arabism. PORTUGAL AND SPAIN SUGGESTIONS IN NAZI PROPAGANDA POSSIBLE ACTION BY GERMANY LONDON, May 1. The German propaganda machine is putting out suggestions that Britain intends to interfere with Portugal and Spain. These suggestions are believed to be leading up to action by Germany herself in the Iberian, Peninsula. ( The Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs (Mr R. A. Butler) said that the suggestions were unfounded and that the British Government hoped that Spain and Portugal would be spared the horrors of war. Reports from Lisbon state that troops have left to reinforce the garrisons on the frontier. NEW COUNCIL IN SHANGHAI CHINESE MEMBER KIDNAPPED SHANGHAI May 1. The new Provisional Council to govern Shanghai's International Settlement held its first meeting this afternoon when it unanimously elected Mr J. H. Liddell, a Briton, born in China, as chairman, and a Japanese, Mr i*. Okamoto, as vice-chairman. There was a last-minute sensation when it was learned that one of the two pro-Chungking Chinese who were given seats oh the council had been kidnapped , by Wang Chmg-wei elements and then released just in tune to attend the meeting. -He was Mr H. L. T. Yuan, the 65-year-old - veteran of the Shanghai ’settlement government. . The fact that he was released and attended the meeting has given rise to rumours that he was forced over to the -Wang Ching-wei side. The only other pro-Chungking Chinese .on the council failed to attend the meeting. ’ •.US. Industry and Defence.—The United States Chamber of Commerce Convention to-day passed'a resolution pledging; itself to seek agreement between industry and labour; on a moratorium ,for disputes likelyto impede defence. The convention also unanit mouriy approved a resolution to give arms production general precedence. —Washingtoil May, 1, _