SYRIA AND LEBANON

Greymouth Evening Star, 17 December 1940, Page 7

SYRIA AND LEBANON

ANTI-ITALIAN FEELING. [BY CABLE —PRESS ASSN. —COPYRIGHT.] LONDON, December 16. According to the Ankara con'espondent of the “Daily Telegraph, reliable news from Aleppo, Dam ra ’ u and Beirut declares -that tm ► action of Syria and Lebanon is oecormng more and more hostile to the Italian Armistice Commission, the members of which keep as much in the _ background as possible, as they evidently fear personal violence. There are also demonstrations against Italy. Britain’s thrashing of Signor Mussolini’s self-styled invincible armies in the Western Desert has immensely helped to raise general optimism among Syrians. In spite of threats ofvery heavy penalties, scores of Syrians are escaping each day to Palestine and are enlisting with the Free French " forces. The Syrians blame Italy for Britain’s partial blockade against Syria, and admit that Britain is right in preventing Syria trading with France and’ North Africa, because Syrian products might be diverted to the Axis. There is no serious lack of foodstuffs in Syria, but there is an acute shortage of coal. The Ankara radio states that the British victory in the Western Desert has paved the way for new political developments. There is much talk in the Arabian world of secret negotiations between the Arabs and Britain, envisaging a plan for a federation of Arab States after the war, including in it Italian Tripoli. The Arabs are openly rallying behind their leaders, who are pro-British.