POMPIDOU HITS AT BASQUES, AIDS FRANCO
By Ian Yeats
1972Ian YeatsSpain, Portugal and GreeceFrance Read the scan at ETOL (PDF) →Read from the scan by machine and not corrected: headlines and words can be misread, and a caption or advert can run into the text. For anything you quote, read the scan.
FRENCH authorities Fatherland Day celebratio erday banned Basque • No reason was given.
In the past the holiday has led to trouble in Basque towns.
Sources say this year's ban may be linked to tension in the Mauleon area of France following a recent decision to prohibit Basque refugees from living near the Spanish border.
Two Basque leaders who published an article warning that the prohibition on refugees might touch off a 'strong reaction' have been summoned to the police station at Jean-de-Luz and told that action could be taken against them.
The Basques have said they intend to defy the ban and go ahead with their Aberri Eguna celebrations.
The clamp-down marks further step in the development of the French government's policy of growing co-operation with Franco's regime in Spain.
Franco needs the assistance of the Pompidou government in attempting to crush the mounting tide of workers' struggles in French harassment of Basque's and Spaniards was stepped following talks in Paris between French Minister of the Interiod Raymond Marcellin Eduardo Blanco, Colonel in Chief of the fascist security services.