Evening star., 1946-08-03
British Indian Troops
Move by Sea 10 Basra,
Near |ranian Frontier
BY the Assoeioted Press

Lo1NIJIN, mug. o.--oIlb lb1SlI AL
dian troops were moving by sea
today to Basra, Iraqi port on the
Persian Gulf near the Iranian
frontier, and the British Foreign
Office, the Indian Office in Lon
don and the Indian government
expressed varying views of what
the movement meant.
An Indian government COM
munique released in New Delhi last
night said the soldiers were being
sent to Basra "in order that they
may be on hand for protection,
should circumstances demand it,
of Indian. British and Arab lives
and in order to safeguard Indian
and British interests in South
Persia Gran)."
The communique was expanded
today with the additional state
ment: There is nc question of the
troops going into Persia except
IN the case of a grave emergency,
which it is hoped will not occur"
Withdrawals Promised.
A British Foreign Office spokes-
man in London, however, said the
men were being sent to Basra merely
to relieve troops on duty there
and I'VE will withdraw troops equiv
alent in number to those being
brought in from India" Neither he
nor the Indian government specified |
the number of troops. who left
Bombay yesterday for the f1ve-day
voyage.
An Indian Office spokesman earlier
said the troop movement was purely |
precautionary" and there was no
suggestion the units would be used |
in the near future-or at all-unless
circumstances demand it." 1t was
added that mo question of troops
going into Persia arises"
"The background, of course, is the
disturbance last month";" he said,
referring to the disputes involving
a strike against the Anglo Iranian
Oil Co. in Southern Iran which led
to the death of II persons and
wounding of $50 others.
The London spokesman, however,
declared this operation should be
described as one of relief rather
than reinforcement" He agreed
that his explanation conflicted with
the New Delhi communique, but said
his version was correct.
The Iranian Embassy in London
said 1t was mystified.
A news dispatch from New Delhi
declared possible international COM
plications from any entry of the
troops at sea into Southern Iran
were known to be subject to con-
situations between the British For
eign Office and the government of
India.
The New Delhi communique ex-
planned that many hundreds of
Indians are employed in the oil
fields and refineries of South Persia
and India depends largely on this
source of vital supplies of petrol"
1t did not specify the immediate
circumstances which inspired the
decision nor indicate if the Iranian
government had been advised of
the move. officials of the Anglo
Iranian Oil Co. have asserted that
recent labor disturbances in the oil
fields were engineered by Tudeh
tleftist) party agitators:
Iranian officials, blaming conflict
ing British and Russian interests
in their country for all their local
economic and political ills, appealed
to the U. N. Security Council to free
their country of foreign troops
brought in during the recent war
The government attempted to with
draw the case after reaching an
agreement with Russia.
Russian withdrawal of troops, 10
days after the original deadline
agreed on by the United States, |
Britain and the Soviet Union. was
hailed by diplomatic observers as
victory for the new United Nations
organization.
The American and British Armies, /
observing wartime agreement, !
withdrew their last remaining forces
by March 2, 1916. The continued |
presence of Soviet troops in the
North, however, prevented a ma
tional parliamentary election since
constitutional law prohibited an
election while the country was oc-
cupled by foreign troops.