ENTRY INTO SYRIA

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24634, 16 June 1941, Page 5

ENTRY INTO SYRIA

THE VICHY PROTEST BRITAIN'S REPLY TO NOTE PREVENTING USE BY ENEMY June 13. The following is* the text of the communication from the Vichy Government, which on June 8 was handed by the French Ambassador in Madrid to his Majesty's Ambassador:— "On instructions from his Government the French Ambassador has the honour to communicate to his Majesty's Ambassador the following text of a Note handed this morning by Admiral Darlan to the United States Ambassador to Vichy: 'The French Government has just learned by telegram from the French High Commissioner that Syrian territory has been attacked this morning near Merdjayoum, south of Jebel-Druse, and that enemy reconnaissance elements, armoured cars, and infantry have come into contact with our posts and that fighting is in progress. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs again draws the attention of the United States Embassy to the fact that there has been no collaboration between the French and Germans in Syria, and that all German air material and personnel that might have been there during the events at Iraq* have been withdrawn with the exception of two or threp damaged machines and about 10 men. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes most particularly to draw the Embassy's attention to the fact' that any British attack, which nothing in the present situation in Syria can explain, risks producing the gravest consequences. As the Embassy is already aware, the French Government is .determined to defend its territory and possessions with all means at its disposal. Every measure is being taken accordingly to this effect in Syria. Aware of the danger of the present situation, the French Government will for its part avoid, pending further information, taking any action which might aggravate or 'spread the conflict. If the trouble is in fact extended, the French Government will find itself obliged to assure by the necessary measures the defence of the territories under French sovereignty." ■■'.'!'.-■'• Meaning of Collaboration

The memorandum in reply which his Majesty's Ambassador in Madrid has been instructed to hand to the French Ambassador is in the following terms: —".His Majesty's Government has the honour to receive the communication which the French Ambassador, in Madrid handed to his : Majesty's Ambassador on June 8. His Majesty-'s Government will not be expected to enter into argument with Marshal Petain's Government on the subject and ; meaning of the word 'collaboration.' more especially since it has not been clearly defined in the communication under reference. His Majesty's Government based its action in'Syria on the facts of the case as known to it, and not on theoretical considerations', and this had been made clear in its public statement on the subject issued on June 8. Marshal Petain's Government will recall that his Majesty's Government's principal Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs stated in the House of Commons on May 22 that, if the Vichy Government, in pursuance of its declared policy of collaboration with the enemy, took action or permitted action-detrimental to his Majesty's Government in the conduct of the war or designed to assist the enemy's, war effort, his Majesty's Government would .naturally hold itself free to attack the enemy wherever he might be found. " Responsibility for the consequences of the assistance which the French authorities in Syria have been instructed to render, to the enemies of his Majesty's Government must, therefore, rest with Marshal Petain's Government. His Majesty's Government is happy to note that Marshal Petain's Government will avoid taking any action which might aggravate or spread the conflict. It does not desire that French blood should bs shed, and would consequently suggest that it would be in the interest of both countries if Marshal Petain's Government saw its way to instruct its forces in Syria to offer no opposition to the measures which the Allied forces are taking in order to prevent the enemy from using Syria as a base of operations against them. His Majesty's Government takes this opportunity to repeat that it has no territorial designs on Syria or anywhere in the French overseas possessions, and it is its intention when victory is won to restore the independence and greatness of France."

A PREPOSTEROUS STATUS FIGHTING GERMANY'S BATTLES WASHINGTON, (Rec. 9 p.m.) June 14. ", The Secretary of State, Mr Cordell Hull, made a statement naming M. Laval and Admiral Darlan as the- leaders in fostering the French surrender of loyalties to Hitler and alleging that they are using France to fight Germany's battles in Syria. Mr Hull said that if the French people accepted this preposterous status they would find themselves co-belliger-ents of Hitler in his desperate effort to conquer Britain and secure control of the seas. In the prevention of such a possibility, both the French people and the people of the United State? had a common interest of tremendous importance to the future. The British entered Syria to prevent further expansion of German aggression, which Vichy permitted, if not abetted. Transfer of Loyalties

Mr Hull added that, aside from Syria and considering only the aspects of the Franco-German collaboration contained in the public statements of the DarlanLaval element, it had been demonstrated that the people of France wui.e expected not only to surrender permanently and . unconditionally their loyalty to all French tradition, institutions, liberties, interests, culture, and the entire way. of life which made France great, but actually transfer all ' these loyalties and all hope for the future to Hitler in the hope of securing his personal favour. The adoption of Hitlerism would set the world back by from five to ten centuries. A Vichy Admission

The British United Press says that the Vichy spokesman, replying to Mr Hull's statement that France is fighting Germany's battle in Syria, denied that Britain had any ground for intervention, but he, admitted that German planes had used Syria as a steppingoff stone, and the Italian-German Armistice Commission might have sent some seized French war material to Syria The Axis was acting within the rights of the armistice convention! France adopted a policy of FrancoGerman collaboration on her own initiative.