Evening star., 1945-06-05
Reich Borders Put Back to 1897,
Allies Set Up Occupation Zones;
Churchill Denies French Charqe
Never Stirred Up
Trouble in Syria,
He Declares
BY the Associated Press.

LONDON, June 5.-Prime Min
lister Churchill today disputed
Gen. de Gaulle's charge that the
British had stirred up trouble
in Syria and declared that Brit
ain was ready to withdraw all
her troops the moment a treaty
was effected between France and
the Levant states.
Mr. Churchill declared Britain had
| absolutely no ambitions of any kind
in the Levant States"
I'VE sought no territory there and
no kind of advantage that was not
given to any of the other nations of
the world he said.
The Prime Minister declared he
preferred that only Britain, the
United States and France negotiate
the French-Levant dispute.
Turkey Shows Interest.
Earlier today Turkey showed
strong signs of interest in the dis
pute. The Istanbul press declared
the Turkish government should be
represented in any international
conference summoned to settle the
controversy.
Meanwhile, the French govern
ment decided to propose formally a
conference Of the Big Five to con-
slider the entire Middle East prob
lem.
Mr.. Churchill declared this would
certainly cause a great deal of de-
lay and would require very careful
consideration on many grounds"
Mr. Churchill made his statement
to Commons after explaining that
some harm" would be done by leav-
ing unanswered some of the state
ments made by Gen. de Gaulle in a
Paris press conference Saturday.
Sought Calmer Atmosphere.
Far from stirring up agitation in
Levant States, our whole influence
has been used in precisely the other
direction" he declared. The most
strenuous and successful efforts had
been made by the British Minister
at Beyrouth to produce calmer
atmosphere in which negotiations
could be conducted for the settle
ment Of outstanding questions be-
tween France and the Levant
States - TF'e'.
The Prime Minister said that
while Britain recognized Frances
special position" in those states,
that did not mean 1--WE have under
taken to enforce that special posi-
ton"
I'VE shall put no obstacle to It,,
either at the council table or in any
other way, but our commitments
and duties also extend throughout
the Middle East" he said.
Mr.. Churchill touched upon an
apparent diplomatic mixup which
led to a public exchange between
himself and Gen. de Daulle instead
of more formal negotiations.
No Discourtesy Intended.
"I must express my regret that
the message to Gen. de Gaulle in
forming him of our intervention
reached him some three-quarters Of
an hour after Foreign Secretary
Eden had made his statement to
the House 1 need hardly say that
no discourtesy was intended"
At the same time, Mr.. Churchill
said, 1T was a pity" that Gen. de
Gaulle did not see fit to inform
Britain of his instructions to cease
fire" sent to French Gen, Beynet
May 30
Months ago. he continued. he had
impressed upon Gen. de Gaulle and
the President of Syria Britain's de-
sire for immediate settlement of diff
ferences between France and the
Levant States.
Mr.. Churchill said he also cau-
toned Gen. de Gaulle that the send
ing Of French reinforcements to
Syria would create bad impression,
but that respite this French forces
began to land there May II.
Guns Being Issued.
Mr.. Churchill said that until Brit
ish forces intervened, Britain had
issued no arms to the Syrians or
Lebanese, but that for the sake of
maintaining order they now were
being issued guns.
Gen. de Gaulle conferred yester-
day in Paris with the American, Brit
ish and Russian Ambassadors, pre-
sumably on the Levantine prob
lem.
Meanwhile, French Comdr. Olivia
Roget was reported recalled from
Damascus and British forces con-
tinued evacuating French garrisons
from barracks in Syria. The French
Ministry of Foreign Affairs was
quoted last night in a Paris broad
cast as stating that it deems it op-
(See SYRIA, Page A-4D