FRENCH LEADERS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 18 June 1943, Page 3

FRENCH LEADERS

HOPES OF ENDING DEADLOCK PRINCIPAL MEDIATORS OPTIMISTIC. DE GAULLE WITHDRAWS THREAT TO RESIGN. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) LONDON, June 17. Generals de Gaulle and Giraud have jointly summoned a plenary session of the French Committee of National Liberation for today. It will be the committee's first fully-constituted session. In the meantime the position of deadlock remains unclarified. The committee did not meet yesterday, though General de Gaulle had asked for a full plenary session. Reuter's correspondent in Algiers states that General de Gaulle has withdrawn his threat to resign and the outlook is more hopeful. The two men who have played the foremost part as mediators, General Catroux and M. Jean Monnet, speaking at a Press luncheon yesterday, expressed confidence that agreement would finally be reached. M. Monnet, who enjoys General Giraud's confidence, said that unity had already been achieved, and the present difficulties were merely the birth pangs of translating the unity from phrases on paper to practice. General Catroux, in a speech at the opening of the Superior Council of Algeria in his capacity of Governor-Gen-eral, said: “It is through Algeria that we shall enter France, and we shall extend the liberation of France to our furthermost frontiers.” The Council had not met since 1940 and it has now resumed its sittings under the recent decree restoring the functions of such semi-legislative bodies which were suspended under the Vichy regime. FIRST PLENARY MEETING OF LIBERATION COUNCIL. CONSULTATIVE ASSEMBLY SUGGESTED. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.15 a.m.) RUGBY, June 17. The French National Liberation Council had its first plenary meeting since it was constituted after the arrival of General de Gaulle in Algiers. According to a communique issued after the meeting the discussion of important questions of the day was begun. An agency message states that members of the committee agreed on methods necessary to guarantee the proper working of various Departments and to bring to a conclusion various items on the agenda which need to be solved without delay.

An exchange of views took place on problems concerning the organisation of the French forces. The Commissioner of Foreign Affairs informed the committee of communications received from various governments concerning recognition of the committee. • The committee decided to study the creation of a Consultative Assembly, the organisation of which was suggested in letters exchanged by Generals de Gaulle and Giraud. All the members were present except M. Bonnet, whose arrival in Africa is expected.