WILL NOT INTERFERE

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 576, 31 January 1929, Page 9

WILL NOT INTERFERE

BRITAIN AND AFGHAN SITUATION ATTITUDE DEFINED British Official Wireless Reed. 12.26 p.m. RUGBY, Wednesday. In the House of Commons to-day the Foreign Secretary, Sir Austen Chamberlain, was asked for a statement regarding the attitude the British Government proposed to adopt toward the present disturbances in Afghanistan. | “The Government has no Intention ! of interfering in the internal affairs of | Afghanistan, by supporting or assist--1 mg any of the parties at present contending for power in that country,” Sir Austen replied. “They earnestly de sire the establishment of a strong central government, and will be prepared, when that government is established, to show their friendship for the Afghan people by giving such assistance as they can in the reconstruction and development of the country. “King Amanullah has formally announced his abdication to the British Government, and in consequence, until it is clear that, despite that abdication, he is regarded as their king by the people of Afghanistan generally, the British Government will be unable to regard his Government as the rightful Afghan Government.” Asked what had been the attitude of the Afghan factions toward the British Mission or consulates, Sir Austen said that the various parties had all respected the sanctity of the British Legation at Kabul, although considerable material damage was done to the building last December, when the legation lay in the line of fire between the forces of King Amanullah and Habibulla Khan. Similarly, the position of the British Consul at Jallalabad appeared to have been respected by all parties, although there had been a report—which had not been confirmed —that the consulate suffered damage in the course of the disturbances. No disturbances had taken place in the area of the British Consulate at Khandahar. GERMANY’S GRATITUDE Replying to a question regarding the rescue of German nationals from Kabul by British aircraft, the Foreign Secretary said that he received from the German Ambassador an expression of his warm thanks for the services rendered, and the German Government similarly expressed their thanks to the British Ambassador in Berlin in the following communication: “They would take the opportunity of expressing to his Majesty’s Government their sincere thanks for the assistance rendered by them, and by the Indian Government, in rescuing German women and children from Kabul in most difficult circumstances. The German Government requests that their thanks may also be conveyed to the Government of India.” TWO PLANES MISSING RESCUE FLIGHT TO KABUL (United Service) LONDON, Wednesday. The Lahore correspondent of the “Daily Mail” reports that grave fears are entertained for the safety of the pilots and crews of the two Royal Air Force troop-carrying airplanes which left Peshawar for Kabul to rescue the remainder of the Europeans in the capital. Neither machine has returned. It is understood that one made a forced landing in a country the hospitality of the natives of which is doubtful.

The other plane is believed to have reached Kabul, but it should immediately have returned. Airmen in scouting aircraft have been dispatched from Peshawar to investigate the matter.