FRENCH CAUSE SETBACK AT MOSCOW CONFERENCE

Chronicle (Levin), 22 March 1947, Page 5

FRENCH CAUSE SETBACK AT MOSCOW CONFERENCE

Received Friday, 10.50 p.m. LONDON, Mareh 21. Hopes of agreement among the For eign Ministers sulfered a setback lasi night, says The Times' Moscow correspondent, when in the strongest state ment yet made of the French desire for guaranfeed coal exports from Germany M. Bidault declared he was not readv to enter into other agreements on Germany unless French requirements in this matter were met. "I am instructed -by my Government to state, he said, "that we cannot enter into any agreement on other problems raised un less the plan for coal exports had been setfled in a manner eonforming to oui requests. No other attitude could be ■ adopted by any French Government." | * By this statement, The Times' cor I respondent points out, M. Bidault put hiiuself in complete opposition to what | Mr. Bevin said on March 19. M. Bidault is reversing the order of priorities which Mr. Beviu set forth. Mr. Bevin then said he could not accept the French "p'roposal that a deflnite proportion of Cferman coal production should be guaranteed for export by the treaty. The lirst objective, Mr. Bevin added, must be to iix the level of industry which will mahe Germany self-support-ing. . . After last night 's meeting French oflicials were emphasising that M. Bidault did not insist that guarantees should be written into the treaty itself, but certainly, The Times' correspondent says, the French desire guarantees in some form or other.