Independence For Libya In About Three Years Seems Likely

Wanganui Chronicle, 5 October 1949, Page 5

Independence For Libya In About Three Years Seems Likely

NEW YORK, Oct. 4 (Recd. 6 p.m.) —lndependence for Libya within about three years appears to be assured by the General Assembly this session, but the future of Eritrea and Italian Somaliland is likely to be left undecided until next year. Latin-American, Arab, and European votes seem assured for a plan to create an independent Libya within the next three years. The only division of opinion at the moment appears to be on the method of achieving the objective. The United States, supported by several other countries, would like to see a transfer of authority in Libya made under supervision [of some kind of United Nations advisory council. Britain and France, as administering authorities in the territories, consider such a measure as interference with their jurisdiction and claim that they are quite capable of leading the peoples of Cyrenaica, Tripolitania, and Fezzan to independence without United Nations supervision. A Soviet proposal to grant Libya immediate independence is not taken too seriously in diplomatic circles.

During a debate in the Political Committee today Dmitri Manuilsky, Ukraine, supporting the Soviet proposal, attacked the record of British military administration in Libya after the war. He alleged that the economy of the former Italian colonies had retrogressed. Mr. Panayotis Pipinelis, Greece, 'supported independence for Libya. He said: “Our relations with modern It/y encourage us to trust that country.’’