OMPLETELY outflanking the Chinese positions, Japanese forces operating from Tsungyang completed occupation of Tungcheng, last Chinese stronghold in Hupeh province near the Hunan border, by Wednesday night, a Japanese army spokesman declared yesterday afternoon.
An attack from two directions, the spokesman revealed, was decided upon because of the Liu river, which is approximately 300 metres wide, both at Puchi and Tungcheng. The river, he said, complicated operations in this sector.
The Agency declares that there can be no question of the Report serving as a basis of negotiations between Jews and Arabs or between the Jewish Agency and the British Government.
After stating that neighbouring Arab states have no special status as regards Palestine, the statement concludes that the Agency can be a party fo further discussions only on the basis of the Balfour Declaration and the mandate.
The Arab reaction is given by Dr. Izzat Tannous, Director of the Arab centre representing the Arab cause in London, who, after seeing Mr. Mal-calm MacDonald, the Colonial Secretary, declared in an interview that he welcomed the abandonment of the idea of partition and the decision that all Arab countries should have a voice in safeguarding the future of Palestine.
He regretted, however, the absence of recognition of the natural rights of Arabs to govern their native land.
Moreover, he added, no Arabs would participate in negotiations from which any of their responsible leaders were excluded.—Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.