ARAB DEMANDS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 24 February 1939, Page 5

ARAB DEMANDS

REPORTED REJECTION BY BRITAIN SUGGESTED ALTERNATIVES. COMBINED MEETING ARRANGED. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. LONDON, February 22. The British and Arab delegations to the Palestine Conference met today, when it is believed the Colonial Secretary, Mr Malcolm McDonald, stated that Britain was unable to accept the Arab demand for the immediate independence of Palestine, and . suggested some form of limited participation in the control of the country’s affairs. It is understood that’ the Arab demand for the entire stoppage of Jewish immigration was refused in favour of a scheme of limited immigration. The Arab demand for the stoppage of sales of land was also turned down in favour of a proposal to divide the country into three sections, one the inten-sively-cultivated portion, where sales would be permitted, the second territory which was less cultivated, where sales would be regulated, and the third the remainder of the country, where sales would be 'prohibited. The first combined meeting of the Arab, Jew, and British delegations will be held at St James’s Palace tomorrow. It is stressed that it will be strictly informal, for the purpose of free discussion of general problems. Dr Weizmann will lead the delegation from the Jewish Agency. The Foreign Secretary, the Colonial Secretary, and the Foreign Under-Secret-ary will also attend.