Evening star., 1961-05-21

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Unlike their feelings at the
abortive peace effort made at
Melun last year, Algerians this
time apparently had no objec-
tionS to physical arrangements
for the conference. The buSi-
ness at today's session was
confined to opening statements
by the delegation chiefs, Louis
JOKE and Krim Belkacem, who
laid down their basic principles
for an Algerian settlement.
Keep Close Ties With France
These general principles in
clude at least one all-important |
element of agreement. Both |
sides now freely admit the prin-
ciple of an independent and
sovereign Algeria whose future
shall be freely determined by
the Algerian people themselves. |
There is also agreement
though a good deal less spe-
ciflc - about the desirability |
that this new state should keep
close cultural and economic
ties with France. The rub on
this point is mainly on the
question of procedure. The
French want their future rela-
tionShip with Algeria to be
spelled out clearly in the course
OF these negotiations as a pre-
condition of independence. The
NatlonalistS insist that inde-
pendence must come first and |
that any future ties should be
negotiated along with all other
questions later on.
These other questions include |
guarantees for the IL million
European minority in Algeria
and guarantees, equally i'm
portant for the MoSlem popula-
tion that has remained faith
full to France. The French will
most certainly insist on these
before any decision to relin-
quish authority is made.
NOncommital on Base
There is also the problem
raised by Mr.. JOKE today of
bases which France
hopes to retain in Algeria. The
base at Mers el Kebir is one
OF the most modern in the
world, protected against atomic
attack and highly important to
NATO forces in the Mediter-
ranean.
The Algerian spokesman to-
night was noncommittal on this
saying only that it
would be one of the things to
be discussed in coming sessions.
Finally one of stickier points
to be thrashed out is the future
OF oil-rich Sahara. The French
would like to make point that
Saharan territory is juridically
not part Of Algeria itself. If
this principle were once ad-
there would be no real
difficulty in exploiting the area
On an international basis to the
advantage not only of France
and Algeria, but of other neigh
boring North African countries ,
as we'll. ,
In making this point, how !
ever, the French are certain to I
run into stubborn opposition
from the Algerian delegates {
here. Mr.. Malek tonight de- I
clared firmly that the Sahara
Is part Of Algeria" I
Reds Are Present /
Quite clearly the Algerian .
delegates have not come to this
conference with any idea of ..
reaching agreements easily.
They are, in fact, expected to
be truculent and demanding,
loudly exploiting their role as
liberators Of their country and
working hard for every last
concession from the French.
A special delegation of Chi
nese and Russians was on hand
at the airport to meet them,
And the interest of the Com
in the outcome of the
discussions at Evian is certain
ly one of the major cards in
Algerian hands today.
Despite all the complications,
there is a general feeling here
that the two sides are practi-
cally condemned" to agree in
the end.
After six years of fighting,
both sides have proved to them
selves the impossibility of
forcing the war to military de-
cision. The events of the last
few weeks have proved how
great the danger is of lettinn