ITALIAN TERMS FOR FRANCE

Southland Times, Issue 24163, 27 June 1940, Page 5

ITALIAN TERMS FOR FRANCE

NO ACQUISITION OF TERRITORY TROOPS TO STAND ON “ADVANCED LINES” PROVISION FOR USE OF D JIBUTI (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright) (Received June 26, 6.30 p.m.) ROME, June 25. The text of the armistice terms is: — (1) France to cease hostilities in the metropolitan territory, French North Africa and colonies and territories under French mandate, also in the air and at sea. (2) When the armistice is endorsed and for the duration of the armistice Italian troops to stand in their advanced lines in all theatres of operations.

(3) In the French metropolitan territory a zone situated between the lines mentioned in (2) and a line drawn 50 kilometres as the crow flies beyond the Italian lines proper shall be demilitarized for the duration of the armistice. The text then fixes demilitarization for the duration of the armistice of the zone of Tunis in accordance with a map attached, of which at present there are no details. In Algeria and the French African territories south of Algeria bordering on Libya a zone of 200 kilometres wide adjoining the Libyan frontier shall be demilitarized for the duration of the armistice. For the duration of the Italian-British hostilities and the armistice the French Somaliland coast shall be demilitarized, Italy to have full and constant right of the use of Djibuti, with all equipment, also the French section of the Djibuti-Addis Ababa railway for all kinds of transport.

(4) The demilitarized zones shall be evacuated by the French within 10 days of the cessation of hostilities, except the personnel necessary for the supervision and maintenance of fortifications, barracks and buildings, also the troops required to maintain order in the interior as later determinable by the Italian Armistice Commission.

(5) Under the full reserve of the right mentioned in Article 10 all arms, supplies and ammunition in the demilitarized zones of the French metropolitan territory adjoining Libya, also arms, to be surrendered to the troops effecting evacuation of the territories concerned, and must be removed within 15 days. In the coastal territory of French Somaliland fixed armaments in the fortifications and the accompanying ammunition must be made useless. All moveable arms and ammunition, also those given up to the troops effecting evacuation, shall be laid down within 15 days to places the Italian Armistice Commission indicates. Fixed armaments and ammunition in the fortifications of the above territory must be treated similar to those in the French metropolitan territory.

(6) While hostilities continue between Italy and Great Britain, the maritime and' military fortified areas and naval bases of Toulon, Bizerte, Ajaccio, and Oran shall be demilitarized. This must be achieved within 15 days.

Clauses 7 and 8 concern the procedure regarding the demilitarization of Toulon, and so on. (9) All armed land, sea, and air forces in metropolitan France shall be demobilized within a specified period to be fixed later, except such as are necessary to maintain internal order, the strength of the armament formations to be determined by Italy and Germany. (10) Italy reserves the right, as a guarantee of execution of the armistice, to demand ihe surrender, wholly or partly, of collective arms, infantry, artillery, armoured cars, tanks, motor and horse vehicles, and ammunition belonging to the units engaged or facing the Italian forces. The above must be surrendered in the condition in which they are at the time of the armistice.

Clause 11 concerns Italo-German control of arms, munitions and war material in non-occupied French territories and the immediate cessation of the production of war material therein. (12) The French fleet, except that part left free for the safeguard of French interests in the French Colonial Empire, shall bp collected at specified ports and demobilized and disarmed under German and Italian control. The German Government solemnly declares that it has no intention of using for its own purposes during the war the French fleet stationed at ports under German control, except those units necessary for coast surveillance and mine-sweep-ing. Except for that part of the fleet destined for the protection of colonial interests, all ships outside French territorial waters must be recalled to France. On the conclusion of peace Italy does not intend to claim the French fleet.

(13) The French shall make harmless within 10 days all mines, maritime and military. (14) France undertakes to prevent members of the armed forces and French citizens generally from leaving French territory to take part in hostilities against Italy. (15) France undertakes to prevent warships, airplanes, war materials and munitions being sent to territories in the British Empire or other foreign powers. (16) No French merchant shipping is to leave harbour. The resumption of