DAY BY DAY.

Waikato Times, Volume 98, Issue 15320, 22 August 1923, Page 4

DAY BY DAY.

Before the end of the month a conference will take place The status in London between roof presontatives 1 of the Tangier. British, French and Spanish Governments with a view to the determination of the status of Tangier. The Tangier zone lias always had a position apart from the rest of Morocco chiefly because the diplomatic representatives of all foreign nations reside there, and because, until recently, the interior of the country was inaccessible to outside influence. A Spanish zone intervenes' between Tangier and the rest of Morocco, which lias since 1012 been a French protectorate. The special interests of Great Britain in the status of Tangier are strategic and commercial. Its situation near the entrance to the Mediterranean gives Tangier potential strategic immrtmce, and there lias always been a very active British trading community in this old Mediterranean port. Morocco is a land of tremendous natural resources, and it is no doubt the destiny of Tangier to become the gateway into Northern Africa. It is highly important, therefore, to the trading community that there should be not artificial obstructions to commerce. The question of the status -of Tangier raises some points of delicacy between Great Britain and France. No progress can be made with the development of the town until its' status is determined. The supreme authority in the case is the Sultan of Morocco. But his decrees are the decrees of the French Resident-General, and Great Britain does not admit that France, acting through the Sultan, is entitled to enjoy in Tangier the position of suzerain Power which she holds in her own zone. At the British suggestion experts have been preparing a basis for a full conference. It lias not been considered that there should be any difficulty in establishing the principles' that Tangier shall always be neutral in time of war, and that the sovereignty of the Sultan shall be maintained. “The principle of economic equality will also doubtless be applied,” observes the Times, “but in its application arc inherent a number of awkward problems. These can onlj be solved by the same delicate handling and great circumspection which will be necessary to decide what is to be the precise future status of Tangier and by whom the status is to be attributed.”