PACT IMPLEMENTATION Time Limit Set By O.A.S.

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29854, 21 June 1962, Page 11

PACT IMPLEMENTATION Time Limit Set By O.A.S.

(N.Z Reuter—Copyright) ALGIERS, June 20. The Secret Army Organisation (OA.S.) last night set a 48« hour time limit for the 0.A.5.-Moslem cease-fire agreement to be fully implemented.

The OAS political leader. Jean-Jacques Susini, demanded in a pirate broadcast that the provision for Europeans to be included in the Moslem local force be implemented. He threatened that if the 48-hour time limit was not respected, strategic redoubts planned by Europeans in western Algerian r towns would be turned into fortresses European participation in the local force was one of three points in the peace agreement. The others were recognition of the OA S as representative of Europeans —already accorded—and an amnesty for Europeans—promised for after independence. Leaders Fleeing Reports reaching Algiers from Oran last night said OA S resistance in the west Algerian port was collapsing and local leaders were fleeing abroad One source said: "It is settled. The O.A.S in Oran has decided to accept the peace declared in Algiers." Leading shipping and airline officials said the O.A.S was putting pressure on them to help their leaders escape The reports said the OAS in the west was divided, with at least one prominent leader, the former colonel Yves Godard, insisting on “carrying on the fight." Mortar bombs rained on the Moslem quarter of Oran yesterday, wounding 18 French soldiers. It was the first major act of violence since the cease-fire. One of the bombs hit a security forces post. Others hit a diesel oil tank, but it did not catch fire

In Algiers. barbed-wire barricades which have long been used to control the main entry and exit roads were removed at midnight, and hardly any military patrols were in the streets

The sand-bag strongposts which have protected sentries outside the Prefecture and other public buildings were unmanned early today for the first time in many months Earlier, only a few bars had taken advantage of the cancellation of the curfew. a<s the civil population still seemed wary of resuming their former nightly leisure routine.

Moslems flooded back to work in the European quarter of Algiers today, it was the first time tor several weeks that the Moslems had freely moved about in the European town, from which they were ban ished by the OAS The Moslem General Union of Algerian Workers had called on its members to return to work today Every streeit in Algiers has piles of uncollected rubbish, which householders burn periodically on the pavements. and many streets are littered with the broken glass and rubble of O A S “scorched earth" attacks The French High Commission at Rocher Noir, the administrative centre near Algiers, yesterday denied an allegation that French troope had mutinied at Sidi Bel Abbes. Western Algeria The allegation was made by the Algerian provisional Prime Minister 'Mr Ben Youssef Ben Khedda) who was talking to reporters yesterday in Cairo on "serious problems” remaining in Algeria.

Mr Ben Khedda said: “There are problems of security and the threat of partition is clearly witnessed in Oran and at Sidi Bel Abbes, where French forces mutinied "

Mr Ben Khedda, on Ids way to Tunis after attending a meeting of loaders of the Casablanca States, said the Algerian Provisional Executive had the job of safeguarding security and was empowered to take appropriate measures to do so.