NEGOTIATIONS IN ALGIERS

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23964, 3 June 1943, Page 5

NEGOTIATIONS IN ALGIERS

FRENCH EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

GOVERNOR-GENERAL RESIGNS (Rec. 11.40 p.m.) LONDON; June 2. It is officially announced in Algiers, according to an agency message, that the seven members of the new French Central Executive Committee so far appointed will meet to-day. General de Gaulle and General Giraud are said to be in full agreement on the points already discussed. M. Peyrouton, the Governor-General of Algeria, has resigned, and M. Gonon, Secretary-General of Algeria, has been appointed to act as Governor-General. M. Peyrouton is a former Vichy Minister of the Interior. • It is also reported from Algiers that M. Peyrouton sent his resignation .to both General de Gaulle and General Giraud, and that both replied accepting the resignation. .., , A , M. Peyrouton emphasised that he was resigning solely for the sake of union among Frenchmen. General de Gaulle, in reply, said he was sure that all Frenchmen would, appreciate M. Peyrouton’s gesture. He added: “I ask you to consider yourself mobilised at the disposal of General Catroux, General Commanding in the Levant, in your capacity as a captain of Colonial Infantry.” M. Peyrouton had asked for a war-time post as an infantry captain. Comment on Resignation The Algiers correspondent of the “New York Times” (Drew Middleton) says: “With the resignation of M. Peyrouton the last shreds of General Giraud’s power slipped away and General de Gaulle won a political victory of far-reaching significance, not only in the resignation itself but in the fact that M. Peyrouton submitted the resignation to General de Gaulle and not to General Giraud. It is now evident that General de Gaulle, after 48 hours of aggressive political action, has mastered French politics and controls North Africa’s political destinies. “General Giraud’s position has so deteriorated that it is possible he will feel it necessary to offer to resign from the executive and return to military command in the field.” Middleton believes that the entire political situation in Africa is confused and that there are still wide differences between General de Gaulle and General Giraud. “This tragic situation arises mainly from General de Gaulle’s unbridled ambition to dominate the executive committee, and General Giraud’s reluctance to give in on points on which he has already made a stand.” “A temporary breakdown has occurred in the negotiations between General de Gaulle . and General Giraud.” said an earlier message from the Algiers correspondent of the British United Press. “It is understood that General de Gaulle is pressing for the removal of M. Peyrouton and General Nogues, who are suspected of Vichy sympathies, In a statement on Monday night General Giraud denied that they had already resigned. The first meeting of the French Central Executive Committee is reported to have been stormy. No communique was issued after the meeting although one had been promised.” The Algiers correspondent of the Columbia Broadcasting System states that members found that they have several difficult questions to thrash out. Among them is the question of personnel. There are several highly placed members of the Giraud administration whom General de Gaulle would like to see relieved of their posts, also neither General Giraud nor General de Gaulle wishes to relinquish control of his forces.