FRENCH YIELD.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 254, 24 September 1940, Page 7

FRENCH YIELD.

INDO CHINA AGREEMENT,

CESSATION OF FIGHTING. HAIPHONG, Sept. 23An agreement between the,Japanese and French lias been signed and fighting has ceased. The agreement, wtiich is “effective immediately, provides for the entrance' for garrisoning purposes of GOOO Japanese via Haiphong, and, the use of three airports in Tongking and the Phuto-lvaokay or Pliulang-thoung-Gialam railway. 1 The Governor (Admiral Decoux) has issued a proclamation stating that the agreement conformed to “realistic policy.” He said Japan h.ad agreed to recognise Indo- China’s integrity and France’s sovereignty. Admiral Decoux added that the Army Commander-in-Chief (General Maurice Martin) was supporting the arrangement. , In connection with last nights Franco-Japanese “incidents” on the Indo-China border an authorised source in Tokio declares that the Japanese in no way “invaded JndoChina. They were merely entering the territory in accordance with the terms of the agreement permitting them _to pass troops. That the I rench resisted them must have been due to a misunderstanding, but the matter was soon settled amicably It is officially stated that a sin all number of Japanese troops are dead or wounded as a result of the Dongclang clash.” TOKIO VIEWPOINT.

The Foreign Office spokesman (Mr Y. Suma) attributed the Dongctang skirmish to delay in communicating the terms of the agreement to the T rench border officers. Mr Suma said Japan was entirely without territorial designs in l.ndo-Ohina and did not intend to provoke the French. Inasmuch as the agreement was based on peaceful talks between the two countries there could be no objection to! it from any foreign country. The influential Takung Pay newspaper says the Chinese military preparations are completed and the Chinese are awaiting orders to fight the Japanese in Indo-China, states a Chungking report.