FRENCH UNITY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 4 June 1943, Page 4

FRENCH UNITY

TASK OF THE COMMITTEE OF LIBERATION DESTRUCTION OF ARBITRARY REGIME. AND RESTORATION OF REPUBLIC. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 11.10 a.m.) RUGBY, June 3. The Algiers radio, quoting a special communique issued after today s Gi-raud-De Gaulle discussions, states that the French Committee of National Liberation at present consists of seven members —Generals Giraud and De Gaulle (presidents), Georges, Catroux and Massigle, MM. Andre, Philip and Jean Monnet. Two other members will be elected later. General Catroux has been appointed Governor-General of Algeria and Commissioner for the Co-ordination of Moslem Affairs. General Bourquet has been appointed commander of the French Air Forces in North and West Africa, in place of General Meneral Mendigal, who has been relieved of his command. The Committee of National Liberation is the central French authority. It directs the French war effort in all forms everywhere. It assumes the care and defence of all French interests in the world. Tt assumes power over all territories outside the power of the enemy and over all land, sea and air forces which so far have been placed under the French National Committee or the civilian and military committee of General Giraud. All measures necessary to bring about the fusion of these two bodies will be taken immediately. In accordance with letters exchanged between General Giraud and General de Gaulle, the committee will place its powers in the hands of a Provisional Government, which will be constituted according to the laws of the Republic, as soon as the liberation of metropolitan France permits, and at latest when the total liberation of Franco has been achieved. The committee will pursue, in close collaboration with all the Allies, the common struggle for the complete liberation of France and Allied territories, until final victory over all the enemy powers has been won. The committee solemnly undertakes to restore all French liberties, the laws of the Republic and the Republican regime, by entirely destroying the regime of arbitrary and personal power which today has been imposed on France. The committee calls upon all Ffenchmen to follow it in order that France may, through the struggle for victory, once more regain her liberty, greatness and traditional place among the great Allied nations, and that at the peace negotiations she may be able to make a contribution to the counsels of the United Nations which will determine the conditions of Europe and the world after the war.

TWO ARMIES QUESTION OF CHIEF COMMAND. (Received This Day, 12.10 p.m.) LONDON, June 3. “The French Central Executive Committee reached full agreement at this morning’s session,” says Reuter's Algiers correspondent quoting an official statement. The personnel of the French Committee of National Liberation is the same as previously agreed upon, Generals Giraud and de Gaulle will be joint heads, alternating in presiding. Generals Georges and Monnet are members selected by General Giraud. M.M. Massigli and Philip were selected by General de Gaulle. Generals Giraud and de Gaulle both accepted General Catroux.

General de Gaulle, on behalf of the Fighting French, stressed his satisfaction that unity had been realised. The Associated Press Algiers correspondent says political quarters state that M. Gabriel Pauaux, former High Commissioner in Syria, will succeed General Nogues as Resident General of Morocco.

Reuter says the agreement still does not solve the question of General Giraud’s status as Commander-in-Chief, as there is the problem of two existing armies.