CHARGE BY RUSSIA “Plot Against Syria”

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28413, 21 October 1957, Page 11

CHARGE BY RUSSIA “Plot Against Syria”

(N.Z. Press Association— Copyright) (Rec. 8 p.m.) MOSCOW, October 19. The Russian news agency Tass said today that plans for an attack on Syria had been worked out during the recent visits of Mr Loy Henderson to the Middle East. Iraqi, Jordanian, Turkish and Israeli troops w'ere to have been used. Britain had given her assent to aggression on the part of Turkey, Tass said. Mr Henderson. President Eisenhower’s special envoy to the area, had, however, failed in his efforts to bring Iraq and Jordan to attack Syria.

The Tass statement said th? attack was planned during Mr Henderson’s visit to Ankara. (Mr Henderson w'as in Turkey from August 24 to August 27). Israel was advised to ‘remain prepared” and to go into action after the attack had started, Tass said.

In exchange, Israel was promised the right to reoccupy the Sinai Peninsula, the Jordan River valley, and to turn the Gulf oi Aqaba into her own waters. The statement added that in the light of information now available, it had become clear that the United States had been informed beforehand of “the Anglo-French-Israeli attack against Egypt” a year ago and had condoned it w'ith a view to seizing British and French positions in the Middle East. “Act of Incitement” The statement accused the United States of ‘ pursuing a policy of pressure and diktat” in the Middle East and of saying *P effect “either you accept the Dulles-Eisenhower doctrine or there will be war.” An . ican declarauons promising support to Turkey "amount to an act of incitement, to pushing Turkey to start a w'ar,” the statement added. Such a war, however, could easily develop into a world conflict. The Soviet Union had io avert the creation of a hotbed of war, especially one at he* southern borders.

"If the United Slates is really igainst war, it must state so beore the United Nations and prove t by deeds,” Tass said. The first step which would have o be taken to avei t the threa.

of war "is to withdraw the Turkish troops from the Syrian border and put an end to the blarKmail against Syria. 1 Referring to the "new, dangerous situation which has arisen, 1 ’ the Tass statement said the duty of the United Nations was to intervene without delay to prevent the threat of war.

"There is no douot that in trie event of an attack on Syria the Soviet Union will lake all necessary measures to give aid to the victim of aggression.” the statement said.

Mr Henderson had also attempted to draw the Lebanon into the plan, but had met with a cool reception ir Beirut, Pass said. It added that Mr Henderson had also held talks in both Turkes and the Lebanon aimed al staging an internal coup in Syria us mg "reactionary elements within Syria and emigrees who had lied abroad.”