SYRIA AND EGYPT

Hokitika Guardian, 20 November 1919, Page 1

SYRIA AND EGYPT

STATEMENT BY HON A. BALFOUR, j BRITAIN’S AIMS AND INTERESTS. ' j • (AUSTRALIAN A- N.Z. CA ill.E ASSOCIATION'] j I (Received this day, at 9.30 .a.m.) j I LONDON, Nov. 17. | In the House of Commons’ debate, j I Hon. A- J- Balfour emphatically said : j that there was not a shadow of truth in j t the reiterated statement that Britain’s 1 | military occupation of Syria meant that ! | she was going to remain dominant. ! 2 The difficulties! before all Western man- j | dntory powers of Arabs were great, j S but should not lie exaggerated. The i Arabs for the first time in centuries ! « had played a great part in the alliance with the Entente, and had especially shown themselves in 'close operation with British troops .faithful, brave and efficient. The prestige of the Arab race j had consequently greatly risen, and lie | had every hope that there would be a ; resuscitation of the great Arab civilisation. As far as the Anglo-French are concerned, there cannot be any rivalry J in Syria. Wo earnestly hoped, in the friendliest co-operation with the French and with warmest regard for our Arab Allies, to see all the difficulties solved. Ho was absolutely confident that the unhappy spirit of unrest in Egypt was s produced by the war, and would be I brought to an end, especially seeing 1 that General Allenby was in control of E the situation, and perfectly understood k that the East was the birthplace of 5 rumours and was full of the strangest 1 legends concerning the policy of His * Majesty’s Government. The Government’s view was that the three questions of Egypt, the Sudan and the Canal, formed an organic indivisible whole England, in connection with this, would not give up ally of her responsibilities. (Cheers). British supremacy exists, and supremacy is going to be maintained. (Cheers.) ■ Let none in or out of Egypt make any mistake on that cardinal principle j of the Government. Nevertheless we dbsired in every way possible to assoeiate the Egyptian native population with the Government of the country, j Government desired, in all respects, to i promote prosperity in Egypt. The • country teas disturbed by a certain j amount of dissension and unreasonable expectations, which, if fulfilled, would damage Britain and the world, but mostly the Egyptian population-. Government unalterably adhered to its de-_ eision to send out Lord Milner’s Commission of investigation. Until the Commission’s report was received it would be folly to attempt to sketch the ; projected legislation, but the population might rest assured that we desired to associate them, as! far as possible. ; with the work of administration, and j i that, unlike their Turkish masters, j. "| who were in Egypt at the present moment, and affect to be Egyptian, we , shall steadily pursue th,e policy ot amelioration which has made Egypt an utterly different place for all the in- j , habitants, and mostly for the natives, ■ compared with Turkish rule. Those were the principles which animates the j Government in respect to the Midc o East. . . , - “We recognise the complication ana extraordinary difficulty of the task. Hon. Balfour concluded, “ hut Brita-n has undertaken other tasks no loss difficult, and brought them to a successful conclusion, and why should wo do- I spair.” (Cheers.) I