FRANCE TO OCCDPY ZONE IN GERMANY

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 117, 19 May 1945, Page 5

FRANCE TO OCCDPY ZONE IN GERMANY

AMERICAN GESTURE

Facilitating Recovery Of France

N.Z. Press Association—Copyright Ree. 12.30. WASHINGTON, May 18. Following a conference with M. Bidault, French Foreign Minister, President Truman issued a statement setting forth that the united States is willing to relinquish to France part of the American occupation zone in Germany. Details have already been conveyed informally to the French Government and a process of procedure is now being formalised.

President Truman said he told M. Bidault that the United States has taken extraordinary measures, despite American shortages, to arrange priorities for French procurement supplies and to provide shipping to carry supplies to France. "The American people," President Truman said, "will continue to take such measures as lie within their power to facilitate the recovery of France."

Referring to the offer which was recently made on behalf of France to provide troops to assist in the war against Japan in the Pacific, President Truman said he welcomed such assistance "as France and other Allies may bring to that struggle and which may be synchronised with operations already planned or under way." , , . President Truman expressed his desire to meet General de Gaulle.

The Associated Press correspondent later asked M. Bidault if he and President Truman had discussed the suggestion that France should participate in the coming Big Three meeting. M. Bidault said the conversations were about political questions of the day and not specifically about meetings.