ANGLO-FRENCH TALKS OPEN IN LONDON

Rotorua Morning Post, Issue 5302, 15 January 1947, Page 5

ANGLO-FRENCH TALKS OPEN IN LONDON

Blum Requests Large SKipment of Coal LONDON, Jan. 14. The French Premier, M. Leon Blum, has arrived in London as the guest of the British Government. The object of his visit is stated to be the discussion of questions of common interest. One of these is the question of allowing France more coal from Germany. A. later message states that M. Blum fiew to London at Mr. Attlee's urgent request. It is officially. stated that he is seeking increased coal deliveries from the British zone of Germany, but the Evening- Standard says it is known that he came in response to ?. British offer to open discussion fc-r a formal British-French alliance and some form of customs union. M. Blum is anxious to lay the foundations for such an alliance before his Government resigns on Thursday. French diplomatic circles think that unless Britain is able to promise deliveries of 1,000,000 to . 2,000,000 tons of coal, the discussions are likely to come to an abrupt end. Reuter's political eorrespondent says that trade will be the main subject of d.iscussion, when M. Blum meets Mr. Attlee, Sir Stafford Cripps, Mr. .. Bevin and other Ministers. There is nothing on the agenda yet for a French-British alliance or customs union.' Britain informed France before M. Blum, came that Britain was unlikely to be able to export any coal. Reuter's Paris eorrespondent says a French Foreign Office spokesman said the harmonisation of French and British reconstruction plans ' as well as French coal problems were the main objects of the London .talks. He added that there was no fixed agenda, and although the talks would be principally economic, including the possibility of an increased allotment of Ruhr coal for France, the two statesmen would "undoubtedly review all foreign policy questions of mutual interest."