NEW KINO OF SYRIA

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 160711, 26 July 1920, Page 3

NEW KINO OF SYRIA

HOME IUILE FOE IUE lEBANONS. PALESTINE’S FUTURE. Emir Feisal, the great Arab chief, has been crowned King of Syria, being nominated by the Syrian Congress at Dam as-1 cua. The new King at present resides in j a "simple grey painted house set amid trees on the hillside looking down on the orchards of Damascus.” To a special correspondent of the Daily Mail he said: “Our action is justified because the Allies promised uS Ion" ago an independent Arab kingdom. But what immediately forced the PanSyrian Congress to take the step of proclaiming Syrian independence was tha never-ending delay of the Peace Conference to come to some decision.” NO IMPERIAL ASPIRATIONS. In the Journal des Debats, M. Auguste Gauvain examines the situation created for France by the proclamation of Syrian independence and the policy which she would pursue towards the Emir Feisal. The Emir, lie thinks, might be left at Damascus, and a limited authority allowed to him, buthemusS not be assisted in imposing his rule over those sections of the population which, rejecting his sovereignty, turns towards France. M. Gauvain finds a solution for the problem in the establishment of a Syrian confederation, in which France would play the part of arbiter. The Emir Feisal could have an important place in this confederation if lie consented to limit his ambitions, but he must not be encouraged to aspire to play "an Imperial part.” Tlie moment has come, in the writer’s opinion, for the friends of France in Syria to oppose to the Congress of Damascus another properly-con-stituted congress. THE PEOPLE .OF THE LEBANONS OBJECT. "The Mokattam has obtained the following from persons who have just arrived from the Lebanon,” says the Times’ Cairo ; "After the decision of the Syrian Congress, the Administrative Council of the Lebanon met to consider the Lebanese question. While they wore deliberating they received an invitation from General Gouraud to see him. This they did,vbeing well received. “General Gouraud asked them to protest against the decision of the Damascus Congress. One of the leading members, a Maronite, replied that he had been thinking of protesting in order to maintain the independence of the Lebanon, and guarantee the interests of the mountain, which had already advanced far on the road leadiug'to independence. "The Council subsequently met and decided to bold a general Lebanese Congress, to hoist the Lebanese Hag everywhere, to prepare a constitution and declare the complete independence of the Lebanon with the assistance of the French, provided that the latter did not encroach on the liberties of the mountain.”. ALLIES AND EMIR FEISAL. “Concern for ‘Peace Conference discipline’ has prompted the British and French Governments to warn the Emir Feisal that his personal sovereignty over areas whose future status has still to be settled by the Supreme Council cannot be recognised by them until the sanction of the Council has been first sought and obtained,” says a diplomatic correspondent of the' Daily Telegraph. "At the same time, it is understood that, provided the Emir should comply with the demands made upon him by the Supreme Council and show a. moderate and conciliatory mood in the impending negotiations, his claims will be treated with every consideration . "Given certain guarantees, administrative and, especially, economic, there will be no inclination on the part of either ourselves or the French to press for the direct control, whether of the Syrian interior or of Upper Mesopotamia On the other hand, the Emir’s titular sovereignty, even if confirmed by the Supreme Council, will not be permitted to obstruct the French mandate over Lebanon or the British mandate over Palestine. Lor don and Paris * r ? ~“ 1 com piete agreement as to this. Asked what was the attitude of" his Government towards the Lebanon (the mountain region of Syria), the new King of Syria replied: “The Lebanon may have entire independence, provided it does not place itself definitely in foreign occupation.” STRIAN DECLARATION. Here are the terns in which the National Conference of 117 members drew up their Declaration of Independence in Damascus: "This Conference declares: (1) The complete independence of Syria within its natural boundaries from Sinai to the laurus, and from the Syrian Desert to the sea, without any protectorate, mandate or any form of foreign interference ; {2} the proclamation of Emir Feisal as King of Syria; (3) compulsory military service; (4) the notification of the representatives of the European Powers a ““, . , Peace Conference at Paris’ of this decision.”