TEMPERS HOT IN SYRIA

Taranaki Daily News, 24 September 1940, Page 7

TEMPERS HOT IN SYRIA

By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright.

HOSTILITY TO ITALIANS

Received 7.50 p.m. • London, beptemoei THE situation in Syria appears to be nearing a climax, says the correspondent of the Daily Mail at Cairo. Tempers in Syria and Lebanon are boiling up as the Italian disarmament commission flits about the country, carrying on strange backstairs negotiations with the French. The Italians aie shunning publicity because of the open hostility of all sects. Membeis of the commission have employed a bodyguard of huge Senegalese since one member was assaulted.

The Syrians are convinced the Italians want first to seize the air bases and then take over the administration of the country. Syrians and Lebanese ^ are turning to Iraq as a possible saviour. Iraq has already formally protested to Vichy and requested the restoraticn of constitutional government. There is a growing infiationary trend in' the note issue of the Syrian State Bank, whose capital of 2,000,000 Syrian pounds is already 7,000,000. Prices are rising rapidly. The Cairo correspondent of the Daily Express says General Weygand's broken army is becoming smaller daily as Syrian troops, refusing to participate in the surrender, disappear into the desert, taking equipment Italy is trying to obtain. There is a strong movement to revive the ancient plan and link the Iraq and Syrian Arabs. Iraq called up a new army class last week, and great diplomatic activity is observed at Baghdad. The French liner Theophile Gautier, 8194 tons, has arrived at Beirut to repatriate 2500 French troops. More vessels are expected shortly.