SOUTH ARABIA: NLF IN CONTROL AT BIR AHMED AS BRITISH SAY THEY'LL TALK WITH NATIONALISTS ON NEW GOVERNMENT.

Record ID: 189676

  • Title: SOUTH ARABIA: NLF IN CONTROL AT BIR AHMED AS BRITISH SAY THEY'LL TALK WITH NATIONALISTS ON NEW GOVERNMENT.
  • Date: 6th September 1967
  • Summary: BIR AHMED; MEN FIRING RIFLES; NLF MEMBERS AND SUPPORTERS WITH RIFLES; CROWDS AND FLAGS. Initials JBC/V/JF/BB Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 21st September 1967 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: BIR AHMED, SOUTH ARABIA
  • Country: Yemen
  • Reuters ID: LVACS62GX36QS2P613ZYJDHGI5HG
  • Story Text: BRITISH IS NOW FACED WITH DECIDING ON TERMS LAID DOWN BY THE NATIONAL LIBERATION FRONT, INCLUDING WITHDRAWAL FROM THE AREA, IN HER SEARCH FOR A NEW SOUTH ARABIAN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO REPLACE THE OLD ONE. BRITAIN HAS SAID SHE WANTS TO TALK WITH THE NLF, WHICH CLAIMS CONTROL OF 12 OF THE 17 STATES IN THE FEDERATION, INCLUDING BIR AHMED.

    THE NLF USED BIR AHMED TO SHOW THE STRENGTH OF THEIR SUPPORT, AND DEMONSTRATIONS IN THEIR FAVOUR INCLUDED CHANTING CROWDS AND "VICTORY" SALUTES BY NLF RIFLESMEN. BIR AHMED LIES ONLY FOUR MILES FROM THE FEDERAL CAPITAL OF AL ITTIHAD AND 14 MILES FROM ADEN.

    THE NLF WAS SWIFT TO REJECT THE OFFER OF TALKS BY THE ADEN HIGH COMMISSIONER, SIR HUMPHREY TREVELYAN, YESTERDAY. THEIR INSISTENCE THAT TALKS COULD NOT TAKE PLACE "UNLESS BRITAIN STARTS TAKING PRACTICAL STEPS TO LIQUIDATE ITS ECONOMIC, MILITARY AND POLITICAL INTEREST IN SOUTH ARABIA" CAME WITHIN HOURS OF THE HIGH COMMISSIONER'S OFFER. FURTHER, AN NLF SPOKESMAN SAID, BRITAIN MUST WITHDRAW ALL HER MILITARY FORCES FROM THE AREA BEFORE ANY NEGOTIATIONS COULD BEGIN.

    THE NLF'S CHIEF RIVAL, THE EGYPTIAN-BACKED FRONT FOR THE LIBERATION OF OCCUPIED SOUTH YENMEN (FLOSY), HAS ALSO TURNED DOWN THE BRITISH OFFER, BUT SAID IT WOULD NEGOTIATE WITH A U.N. MISSION WHICH IS TRYING TO ENSURE A SMOOTH TRANSITION FROM BRITISH RULE TO INDEPENDENCE.

    THE ISSUE HAS ARISEN BECAUSE OF THE COLLAPSE OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. BRITAIN HAD ORIGINALLY BEEN PLANNING INDEPENDENCE ON JANUARY 9, AND HAD ALREADY BEGUN TO FULL OUT SOME OF HER 12,000 TROOPS IN THE AREA.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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