Evening star., 1961-05-21
ALGERIA
ALGERIA
Rebels Spurn Order
OF France for Truce
Continued From First Page

Continued From First Page
they would reconsider the sit
uation in the light of the peace
talks here.
But Mr.. Malek's statement
that the 612-year rebel fight
goes on cast a pail over the
infant negotiations. French Of
ficialS have said serious talks
cannot long continue without
a cease fire on both sides.
Ben Bella Transferred
The order for the half-mil-
lion-man French army to halt
offensive operations in Algeria
was made effective at 6 pm.
French Delegate General
Jean NORM said in Algiers he
hoped the rebels would follow
the French lead. But Mr.. Ma
lex said a proviso in the
French order leaving French
troops the right to take de-
fensive action could be used as
a pretext by the French to con-
tlnue offensive operations.
AS the peace talks got under
way in this Lake Geneva resort
city, France also announced
that Rebel Deputy Premier
Ahmed Ben Bella was being
transferred from his fortress
prison in the Isle D'Aix to a
luxurious chateau in the Loire
River Valley. Detention of other
rebel officials was eased.
The rebel spokesman took
note" of the decision, but said
Mr.. Ben Bella should be "as-
sociated with the peace talks"
and that much difficulty had
arisen on this point. He did not
elaborate.
Settlers Indignant
News Of the cease-fire order
was received with hope by Al
gerian Moslems but with bitter
indignation by the French set
tiers.
I'VE have been sold out"
complainedNone European in
Algiers.
In Algiers, troops in combat
dress manned gun emplace-
ments to forestall any violent
reaction by European settlers.
New tension built in Algeria
following night of bomb and
grenade explosion in Algiers, a
riot in Oran. and bombs in
other major cities.
Announcement of the cease
fire was made here by Louis
JOKE, French delegation chief.
The rebel delegation, headed
by Deputy Premier and Foreign
Minister Krim Belkacem, flew
in from their Geneva head
quarters to a coldly formal
greeting by a French official
and the long-awaited peace
talks began. The first session
lasted an hour and 40 minutes.
Afterward a recess was an
nounced until next Tuesday.
Disagreement Evident
Mr.. JOKE and Mr.. Krim in
opening statements outlined
general views on an Algerian
settlement, the statements dis
closed areas of disagreement
right at the start.
Mr.. Krim, for example, in
sisted on Algerian sovereignty
over the oil-rich Sahara. The
French would like to see some
kind of international control
over the Sahara by France and
the states bordering the vast
desert.
At a news conference after
the initial session, Mr.. JOKE
said France was prepared to
grant Algeria full sovereignty.
But, he added, if the Algerians
choose to break completely with
France, then France would
have to take Legitimate pre-
cautions" to protect her citi-
zens and her national interests.
Mr.. JOKE also insisted the
Algerian people themselves
through the ballot box-must
be the final arbiters. He said
one task at Evian was to ar
range proper guarantees for
such an election. He said the
Algerians at the conference
table accepted f-determina-
ton" as a valid procedure for
settling the long Algerian war.
The transfer of Mr.. Ben
Bella from his fortress prison
was expected to improve the
atmosphere for the talks. Mr..
Ben Bella and four lieQtenants
were tricked into capture by
the French in 1856 when their
plane flying Rabat to Tunis
was forced down in Algiers.
The rebel government in exile