Algerians Demand Control Of O.A.S.

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29767, 9 March 1962, Page 13

Algerians Demand Control Of O.A.S.

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) PARIS, March 8. Algerian officials said today that the Algerian rebel delegation to the FrenchAlgerian talks at Evian demanded that allout action be taken against the Secret Army Organisation (0.A.5.) if it tried to sabotage a cease-fire agreement.

The officials said this was the main demand of the Algerians when the two delegations met for the final phase of talks aimed at ending the war in Algeria after seven years and a half of bloodshed.

The talks are expected to last eight to 10 days, but both sides are determined, in spite of the prospect of bard bargaining, to reach agreement

on the cease-fire, hoped for by March 15.

Both sides agreed on a policy of strict secrecy on the conduct of the talks, and no official statements were French officials said that both sides gave assurances at the start of the talks that neither would try to go beck on the draft cease-fire agreement already worked out in secret negotiations in February.

The French had feared that the rebels would increase their demands at the conference table. Algerian sources confirmed that the rebel delegation would not contest tbs existing draft agreement. The French Government said last night that it would not stand for any tempering with what already had been agreed. The Algerian delegation was said to be deeply disturbed by the mass bloodshed in Algeria in recent weeks, which had brought the death roll in MoslemEuropean violence this year to nearly 1450 Most of the victims were Moslems.

To guard against any attempt by the OAS to wreck the Evian talks, the French authorities seeled off the town with a tight security cordon.

Reuters reported from Oran tfvat the first friendly public demonstration of Moslems towards France to the Oran area for some terne was staged at Mers-el-Kebir, near Oran, today. An estimated 2000 Moslems paraded through the narrow main street of the town, where last Thursday a woman and her two children were brutally murdered by assailant- believed to be Moslems.

In a procession of reconciliation, the Moslems carried French flags. expressed friendship for France and dissociated themselves from the crime.

The correspondent said that in spite of the friendly interlude. it was feared that the eventual signing of a ceasefire agreement in Evian might cause new and savage clashes to Oran between the two communities.