SYRIAN CONVENTION

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXI, Issue 192, 16 July 1941, Page 8

SYRIAN CONVENTION

HONOURS OF WAR

OUTLINE OF TERMS. (United Press Association—Copyright) (Hec. 2 p.m.) RUGBY, July 15. Full honours of war were granted the French forces in Syria and Lebanon under the terms of the convention ending the hostilities and agreed to by General Sir Maitland Wilson and General Deverdillac.

The following is a summary of' the terms of the convention issued by the War Office, hostilities ceasing on July 11: Tho Allied forces will occupy the Syro-Lebanese territory. The concentration of the French forces in selected .areas by noon on July 15 will be followed immediately by the Allied occupation of certain strategic points. The French troops will remain under French command with a restricted establishment up to the time of their repatriation. In the Jebel Druse area the French troops, for security reasons, will remain in garrison until relieved by British troops. The immediate replacement of the French bv tho occupying forces will be carried out in the principal localities of Syria and Lebanon. Minefields on sea or land -will be disclosed to the occupying authorities. With full honours of war tho French

forces will retire to the restricted areas with all their arms. They will be permitted to retain their individual arms, but only sufficient ammunition in each unit for security purposes. The gendarmerie will retain their arms and limited ammunition. All other war material will be stocked under British control, inspected, and taken over it required, the remainder being destroyed by the French under British control. Prisoners belonging to the Allied forces will be set tree, including those transferred to France. The prisoners will be released when the SyroLebanese territory is occupied and the convention claims fulfilled. CHOICE FOR FRENCH.

The choice between rallying to the

Allied cause and repatriation will be left.to the individual, military or civil. All individual application to remain in the occupied area will be considered from civilians not rallying to the Allied cause.

Executive officials (specified in the protocol) will remain at ports until the repatriation or the efficient working ot the Administration. French ships may repatriate French troops and subjects who choose to do so. and the holdings of such will be transferred in accordance with terms to be arranged. The rights of French cultural institutions will be respected if not in conflict with Allied military interests. Public services will be maintained and handed over intact, as will all means of communication.

Port installations, naval establishments, and ships, including British, in Syrian-Lebanese territorial waters, aircraft and air installations, and equipment and fuel stocks, will be handed over intact.

British aircraft are empowered to use air bases and alighting areas. Currency and other means of payment will be safeguarded. The right is reserved to take into service '"Troupes Specials do Levant" 7)rogressively, their arms being handed over to the British. The British authorities will not prosecute the native Syrians and Lebanese involved in the recent hostilities. A "Commission of Control" of five members—three nominated by the British and two by the French—will at Beirut carry the terms into effect. The convention is drawn up in English and French, the English text being authoritntive.—Official Wireless.! RED AIR FORCE AT WORK. The Moscow radio reports the destruction of 27 grounded German planes at a secret aerodrome by a small formation of Russian bombers. In another action a flight-com-mander who was unable to bale out of his burning plane directed it at German fuel-laden trucks. The gallant pilot perished in a terrific explosion. One of the new Russian divebombers attacked fifteen German planes and destroyed two, forcing others to flee. These Ixmibers are faster than the German fighters

which give them a wide berth

Russian air raids on many places in East Finland and the Karelia region are reported in a Finnish communique. Bucharest announces that tho Russians dropped showers of incendiary bombs on the capital, but the fires -were extinguished. Ploesti was again bombed. From Budapest it is reported that Russian parachutists landed in Hungary to destroy tbe railways, bat the attempt was frustrated. The Telegraph's Stockholm correspondent says it is emphasised in Russia how much the Soviet Army leaders owe the R.A.F. which has reduced the German air strength on the Eastern Front in the past few weeks. Stories of the devastating effects of Britain's new bombs are trickling from Germany. One recent raid on Bremen caused 1200 deaths and 15.000 were injured. One heavy bomb destroyed or damaged 350 bouses. RUSSIA'S HUGE STRENGTH.

The latest Moscow communique claims that the Soviet forces surrounded and destroyed enemy mechanised inotorised units in tho PskovJ'orkhov sector and are also successfully resisting enemy thrusts in the Vitebsk- Novograd - Y'oJynsk sectors. Confidence in Russia's ability to hold the Germans is expressed by" the Soviet Mission. M. Kbarlamov -and AirColonel Pugachev, with whom M. Maisky has arranged a, meeting of Empire journalists. Asked whether in the event of a Russian retreat behind Mos-

cow tbe Russians would be able to light on. drawing supplies from the Urals, M. Kbarlamov replied it was not believed the Germans would take Moscow, whereto M. Maisky added:

'"lt's a Long Way to Tipperary." Re-emphasising that the Germans are only now meeting the main body of the army, the interviews were most impressed with the mission's references to Russia's strength.