REFORMS IN PERSIA

Greymouth Evening Star, 23 April 1946, Page 7

REFORMS IN PERSIA

SEVEN-POINT PROGRAMME FOR AZERBAIJAN TEHERAN OUTLINES POLICY (Rec. 10.50 a.m.) TEHERAN, April 22. The Prime Minister, Ghavam Su’.taneh, has issued a communique giving a seven-point programme for Azerbaijan as follows:— 1. Provincial and city councils to elect officers for agriculture, education, health, finance, etc., to carry out orders from Teheran.

2. The provincial council is to recommend a governor to be appointed by Teheran. 3. Turki, the Azerbaijan people’s own language, to be used equally with Persian in conducting government business in the province and the first parts of elementary education will be in Turki only. 4. The central government to take into consideration the need for the improvement of culture, health, income tax collection and allocation, and provincial budgets. 5. Political freedom for all parties.

6. No action to be taken against the Democrats or sympathisers in the recent demonstrations.

7. A Bill to be presented to the Mijlis next session, adjusting the parliamentary representation of Azerbaijans.

The programme also provides for the Teheran Government to appoint commanders of the array and gendarmerie.

CONFLICTING REPORTS OF FIGHTING

LONDON, April 21

“Conflicting reports about fighting between Persian , Government, troops and Azerbaijan autonomous Government forces are current,” says the Teheran correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph.” “The Tabriz radio claims that the Azerbaijan forces have beaten back Persian forces from the border in the province of Zenjan, inflicting considerable losses. However, the Persian Minister of War (General Ahmedi) declared that no army forces had clashed with the ‘Democratic’ troops.” It is reported from Teheran that the Government is sending an emissary to Azerbaijan to consult with the selfstyled National Government in an endeavour to arrange talks with representatives of the Central Government. The Persian Government, through its Propaganda Department, has reaffirmed its intention of settling the Azerbaijan problem in a friendly manner and all'Government troops have been ordered to remain .at their posts.

TABRIZ RADIO ALLEGES PERSIAN ATTACK

(Rec. 2 p.m.) TEHERAN, April 22. According to the Tabriz radio, a Persian army force attacked “volunteer Azerbaijan democratic warriors” south of Miyandaub, using mortars and machine-guns. The Azerbaijans retreated, leaving several dead. They counter-attacked the following day, regaining their positions and capturing machine-guns and horses and also a few men.