GENERAL WEYGAND IN SYRA

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 101, 30 April 1923, Page 7

GENERAL WEYGAND IN SYRA

REPLY TO CONCENTRATION OF FORCES ■v ** __ CONTROL OF 26,000 TROOPS. ■ (BNITBU m» ASSOCIATION.—COPMIGHT.) (ADSTJUMAN . NBW ZEALAND CABIB ASSOCIATION.) (Received 30th April, noon.) PARIS, 29th April. The. newspapers state that General Weygand is proceeding to the North Syrian frontier to take measures to safeguard the frontier in view of the reported Turkish concentration in that region. It is pointed out that General Weygand controls 26,000 troops in Syria while two divisions of colonial troops, are ready to reinforce, him" 1 if necessary.

Ifc is thought, however, that the Turkish movements are not the prelude to an attack on Syria, and are more probably meant to support Turkish bargaining at the Lausanne Conference. Meanwhile General Pelle is visiting Paris to report the result of the recent conversations with Ismet Pasha regarding Franco-Turkish relations. It is understood he carries a new concession project suggested by Ismet Pasha for the 1914 concessions superseded by Angora's approval of the Chester scheme.

Newspapers attached significance to the appointment of General Weygand, Marshal Foch's Chief of.Staff, as" Com-mander-in-Chief in Syria, in view of any unfavourabla outcome of the Conference at Lausanne. It is understood that General Weygand accepted the appointment only on condition that sufficient troops are placed at his disposal to hold Syria. Turkish utterances prior to the re-open-ing of the conference were bellicose. For instance, Ismet Pasha, en route to the Lausanne Conference, said a few days ago that Turkey was disposed to make concessions if the Allies evinced any goodwill, "but if we find at Lausanne the same opposition as last time we shall immediately leave the Conference, which act will mean not only the beginning of enmity, bnt very likely the commencement of a new war. We are desirous of concluding peace, but we want a worthy peace."