BRITISH AID SOUGHT

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25766, 30 March 1949, Page 5

BRITISH AID SOUGHT

TRANSJORDAN’S AIR FORCE MR MAYHEW SPEAKS ON AKABA LONDON, March 28. A British Foreign uiixce spoKesman to-day confirmed tnat Transjordan had asked for Royal Air Force assistance in creating a Transjordan Air Force. I‘he spoKesman said that the request, which was received some months ago, was still under consideration. The request was for assistance in pilot training, and not in the provision of equipment. The Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (Mr C. P. Mayhew), commenting in the House of Commons to-day on Transjordan’s request for British assistance with patrols along the frontier of Akaba, said that Britain hoped that a successful conclusion ter the Israel-Transjordan cease-fire negotiations would render such action unnecessary. Mr Mayhew said it was only the presence of the defensive force at Akaba which had stabilised the situation and enabled the Israeli-Transjor-dan negotiations to proceed as far as they had done. He said that the mission of the British force was to defend Akaba and to support Transjordan in case Transjordan territory was attacked. Mr Mayhew added that after the conclusion of the Israeli-Egyptian armistice. Israeli. forces moved south to the Gulf of Akaba, thus contravening the injunctions of the Security Council and giving the Transjordan Government sufficient cause to fear Israeli southern frontier.

He denied that the Security Council resolution of Mav 29, 1948—which called on governments not to introduce fighting forces into Palestine and the Arab States during the ceasefire—debarred Britain from reinforcing or altering her forces in the Middle East. He pointed out that Britain was not encaged in the conflict.

Mr Mayhew said that a statement on these lines was being communicated to the United Nations Secretary-Gen-eral (Mr Trygve Lie). A special correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph” at Amman srvs that the latest estimates put the strength of the Jewish forces on the Gulf of Akaba at one battalion with Original estimates bv United Nations observers, which placed the strength of the Jewish forces at only 200. are now considered to be well short.

The correspondent adds that reliable neutral sources are convinced that if the British had not occupied Akaba the Jews would have foufid /some DT’otext for seizing the nort, and ( hp United Nations would have been helpless in the face of yet another fait accomnli.

Transiordan sources emphasise that (heir countrv has for so Inng been ,r nnwn throughout the Middle East as Britain’s most devoted allv and that if Britain allow*d Transjordan to col’aose no other Eastern country would tn»at her nledges again. The British destroyer Troubridge arrived at Akaba at the week-end.