THE MIDDLE EAST

Otago Witness, Issue 3495, 8 March 1921, Page 21

THE MIDDLE EAST

THE NEW PREMIER. LONDON. February 27. The new Persian Premier is strongly anti-Bolshevist. He seeks the friendship of Great Britain and Russia. A correspondent adds: “ All lovers of Persia welcome the revolution. If the new leaders can establish a Government sufficiently strong to withstand Bolshevism and to maintain internal order, there will be no difficulty in modifying the existing agreement satisfactorily to all interested parties. DELHI, March 2. The Persian Premier has issued a proclamation denouncing the ancient regime and announcing that it is his intention to reorganise the civil administration, divide the Government land among the peasants, improve the conditions of the working classes, promote education, and organise a national army. The Premier’s proclamation was well received by the Persians and Europeans m Teheran. The British realise that the existing agreement is not acceptable to the new Government, and regard its abolition as opening a way to permanent relations between the two nations. LONDON, March 3. The Times Bagdad correspondent advises that the Archbishop of Canterbury, the American, Australian, and Canadian Governments are being consulted regarding the possibility of finding homes for 10,000 refugees Assyrian plainsmen, who are unable to return to their homes in Persia, as the events of the 1918 biood feud are still too strong in memory to be overcome. They are described as desirable colonists. The position is urgent owing to the reported decision of the British Government ceasing supplies on April 1.