Evening star., 1946-02-05

Committee today approved a
recommendation to put the
organizations perma anent
home in the Stamford Green
wich- -Westchester area of
Connecticut and New York.
BY the Associated Press.
LONDON, Feb. 5.-Syria and
Lebanon handed the United Ma
tions Security Council a new
explosive issue today, asking
withdrawal of all British and
French troops from the Levant,
while the Council still sought to
unravel the tangle resulting
from a Russian attempt to use
the veto power in the Soviet
British disagreement over Greece.
The veto issue, raised for the first
time before the Council, blocked ac-
ton on the Greek question. It also
required the Council to decide
whether Britain and Russia could
vote on the question of whether
British troops in Greece were en-
dangering the world peace, as
charged by Russia. The British have
demanded complete exoneration of
their actions In Greece.
Syria and Lebanon, former French
In the strategic Middle
East, based their case on the claim
that British and French troops have
in their territories "n1any
after the end of the war
with Germany and Japan and that
some Of these troops have been
constant menace to the peace and
security In this region"
Meeting at Foreign Office.
A meeting Of representatives Of
the five major powers Britain. Rus
STA, France, China and the United
States-was called at the British
Foreign ONCE today specifically to
discuss the world food situation and
possible United Nations action on 1t.
But some officials speculated that
the meeting might afford a chance
for the key nations on the Council
to have private talk about ways
out of the threatened impasse on
Greece.
Faris Bey Ell Khoury, head OF the
Syrian delegation, said the Syrian
Lebanese note was joint letter Of
the two countries and that It called
for simultaneous withdrawal Of
British and French troops as soon
as possible.
Lebanon ana Syria, former man
dates Of France, were generally rec
ognized as Independent by the Allies
during the war, although the French
and British continued to maintain
troops there.
10000 British in Levant.
French authorities estimate about
5000 French troops and 10000 Brit
ish troops are In the Levant.
The Syrian-Lebanese note, was
dispatched to the Office of Secretary
General Tryvge Lie last night. FL
Knoury, head of the Syrian delega-
ton to the General Assembly, and
Hamid Bey Frangie, chief Of the
Lebanese delegation, conferred per-
sonally with Mr.. Lie today.
1.-THE presence of these troops,
which constitutes a grave infringe
ment Of the sovereignty of the two
states, members of the United Ma
tions, may give rise to serious dis
putes," Syria and Lebanon declared.
The two Levant governments, the
note said, had expected all along
that the forces of both Britain and
France would be withdrawn as soon
as the war ended.
Referring to a point evacuation
agreement drawn up by the British
and French last December 13, the
note said the agreement imposed
conditions which were inconsistent
with the spirit and the letter of
the United Nations Charter"
British French Agreement.
AS quoted in the letter, the Brit
ish-French agreement provided:
"The program of evacuation will
be drawn up in such way that it
will ensue the maintenance in the
Levant of SUFFICIENT forces to guar
antee security until such time as
the United Nations Organization
has decided on the organization of
collective security in this zone (the
Levant).
Until these arrangements have
been carried out, the French govern
ment viii retain forces regrouped in
Lebanon
Progress toward carrying out the
initial withdrawal from Syria was
deadlocked by a disagreement on
where the British troops were to
be sent. The French wanted the
British forces TO regroup in Pales-
See UNO, Page A-5)