LEBANON “INCIDENT”

Greymouth Evening Star, 18 November 1943, Page 5

LEBANON “INCIDENT”

DE GAULLE’S ESTIMATE

RELATIONS WITH BRITAIN

LONDON, Nov. 16. “France cannot renounce her obligations. Her juridical position is incontestable in Lebanon,” said General de Gaulle, in a speech at Algiers. “France cannot allow troubles prejudicing the Allies’ strategic position to develop in Lebanon.- The situation there is well on the way to solution. The incident has not affected our relations with Britain, who has interested herself as much as France in the Near East situation, and in the destiny of the Arab peoples. I have never wished that during the war France should break her alliance with her. allies. France wants a constitutional situation established in Lebanon. She cannot be suspected of endangering the liberty of the Lebanese. She has watched with sympathy the Arab people’s ideal of federation.” General de Gaulle described the Lebanon situation as “nothing but an incident.” He said that the French Committee intended to give Lebanon independence “in conformity with the terms of the mandate.”

Correspondents in Beirut say that unrest is expected to continue while the Lebanese President and Ministers are in prison. General Catroux, who has met M. Edde, is expected to ask for their release.

General Catroux, this afternoon, called on the British Minister at Beirut (Sir E. Spears) according to a statement- by the British Information Office at Cairo, which continues: “The Government representing the imprisoned Ministers and dissolved Chamber has issued instructions to officials not to co-operate ‘with the Edde Administration. .Beirut was quiet during the night. The strikes continue.” LONDON PRESS ANXIETY (Rec. 9.25) LONDON, November 17. A grave view continues to be taken of the position in Lebanon. It is emphasised the need is for prompt action. “The Times” says: “Worse danger will follow drift. The difficulties of decision facing General Catroux are not to-be underrated. The arrest of the President, Prime Minister, and other Ministers must be clearly revoked.” “The Times” adds: The public dispute between Helleu and the committee over whose was the responsibility for the decision to make the arrests is widely deplored. The “Daily Telegraph’s” in a leader says unfortunately the proof of growing resentment against French action throughout the Arab world will not accord with the optimism in De Gaulle’s statement that “the events were only a passing incident.” He adds by one ambiguous sentence, France could not allow the troubles prejudicing the strategic position of the Allies to develop in Lebanon. De Gaulle appears to contend that drastic action is necessary for prevention of unrest ' dangerous to the Allied cause. .... . The newspaper continues: It is an unfortunate fact that unrest has not been prevented. On the contrary grave troubles developed all over the Middle East, and it is not certain that De Gaulle’s speech will help to end them.” CAIRO DEMONSTRATION LONDON, November 17. The police fired on students who demonstrated in favour of Lebanon in the Cairo streets on Monday, reports the British United Press correspondent. “At least three students were killed. In spite of an order by Nahas Pasha, Prime Minister, that there must be no violence, college and high school students poured into the streets, shouting “Down with France! Down with de Gaulle! Long live Lebanon!” The police tried to break up the demonstrations. The students, however, stoned them. Then they stoned the street lamps, the shop windows arid the trams. Many of the students wore injured, and a number were arrested. Lebanese sources in Cairo say that a large force of armed Lebanese, including Druse tribesmen, is waiting in mountains outside of Beirut to attack the French unless the situation in Lebanon is completely restored.

LAVAL AGENTS BLAMED

(Recd. 1 p.m.) LONDON, Nov. 17. The Lebanon crisis is the result of a month’s work by Laval’s agents, say well-informed French circles at Lisbon, quoted by the British United Press correspondent. The French claim the whole affair was engineered from Vichy where it is regarded as a great success. The Spokesman of the French Committee of the National Liberation at Algiers in a statement said: “Suggestions of disagreement between members of the committee and M. Helleu, French Delegate General in Lebanon, regarding the responsibility for Helleu’s actions are untrue. On the contrary his actions to protect the French commitments in the Levant always had the full support of members of the Committee.’

GENERAL GIRAUD

LONDON, Nov. 16

General Giraud, after the reshuffle of the French Committee of National Liberation last month, offered to resign, but withdrew ,his offer yesterday after receiving assurances 'from the committee that his conditions governing future relations between the army and the committee would be approved, says the Algiers correspondent of the British United Press. “General Giraud did not expect the committee to remove him from participation in political affairs,” says the correspondent. PETAIN MYSTERY (Rec. 10.40 a.m.) LONDON, Nov. 17. The mystery over Petain is deepening. Neither the Vichy nor Paris radios’ hourly news bulletins to-day mentioned Petain’s activities, which are always reported in detail. No matter how unimportant. This silence follows the complete Vichy radio black-out last night. The first news bulletin to-day was heavily jammed. Swiss reports at the weekend said Petain was ill, but- the French radio reports yesterday said he entertained the Turkish diplomat on Monday. The Stockholm newspaper “Svenska Dagbladet,” quoting authorised German circles, stated that Petain is expected to broadcast his cancelled week-end speech later. The speech will include news of important political changes in the Vichy regime. The Paris Press is discussing the question of Petain’s successor. RIOT AT LYONS. LONDON, November 16. Nine French civilians were killed and more than 50 wounded during a one-hour battle last night with German troops in the main square of Lyons, the Berne- correspondent of the American Associated Press. One German was killed and 12 wounded. Tne battle started, says the corresoondent, when Germans emerged from their special theatre and two delayed-action bombs exploded. The French simultaneously opened fire from the windows of buildings nearby,- and the Germans subsequently used machine-guns.