BRITISH FORCES’ ROLE AT AKABA DEFENDED BY MINISTER

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 22907, 29 March 1949, Page 5

BRITISH FORCES’ ROLE AT AKABA DEFENDED BY MINISTER

(11.15 a.m.) LONDON, March 28. The Under-Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Mr. 0. F. Mayhew, commenting in the House of Commons today on Transjordan’s request for British assistance with patrols along the frontier near Akaba, said that Britain hoped the successful conclusion to the Israel-Transjordan cease-fire negotiations would render such action unnecessary.

Mr. Mayhew said it was only theftpresence of a defensive force at Akaba which stabilised the situation and enabled the Israeli-Transjordan negotiations to proceed as far as they had done.

Mr. Mayhew said the mission of the British forces was to defend Akaba and support Transjordan in case Transjordan territory was attacked. Mr. Mayhew added that after the conclusion of the Israeli-Egyptian armistice, Israeli forces had moved southward to the Gulf of Akaba, thus contravening the injunctions of the Security Council and giving the Transjordan Government sufficient cause to fear Israeli intentions regarding Transjordan’s southern frontier.

Mr. Mayhew denied that the Security Council resolution of May 29, 1 948 which called on the Governments not to introduce fighting personnel into Palestine and the Arab States during the cease-fire—debarred Britain from reinforcing or altering her forces in the Middle East. He pointed out that Britain was not engaged in the conflict. Mr. Mayhew said a statement on these lines was being communicated to the United Nations’ Secretary-General. A United Nations’ official said in Rhodes today that the Israeli-Trans-jordan talks were nearing the end. The drafting of the final agreement would begin tomorrow and signatures to the armistice were likely to be appended at the week-end.