MASSU TO EXPLAIN

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29108, 21 January 1960, Page 13

MASSU TO EXPLAIN

Quoted Remarks On De Gaulle (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) PARIS, January 20. General Jacques Massu, a leader of the May revolt in Algeria which restored General de Gaulle to power in 1958, is due to explain to the French Government today how he came to be quoted by a West German newspaper for outspoken criticism of the French President’s policy of self-determination for Algeria. General Massu, Civil and Military Commander in Algeria, was ordered to Paris yesterday in the wake of the sensation caused by his alleged statements —which Army headquarters in Algeria and General Massu himself have denied.

The Munich newspaper “Suddeutsche Zeitung” quoted General Massu as saying in an interview that the French Army “had perhaps made a mistake” over General de Gaulle and “no longer understood his policy.” In spite of the denials, the German correspondent maintained the truth of his story.

General Massu’s first meeting today is expected to be with Mr Pierre Guillaumat, the Armed Forces Minister.

Top civil and military chiefs, including the Government Dele-gate-General in Algeria (Mr Paul Delouvrier), will follow General Massu to Paris today for an extraordinary conference on Algeria over which General de Gaulle will preside on Friday at the Elysee Palace. In Algiers, mayors of the Algiers region passed resolutions declaring they would take up arms if necessary in order to remain French and calling on civil and military leaders to urge a reversal of General de Gaulle’s self-determination policy at the conference on Algeria in Pans on Friday. Sources close to General de Gaulle said he was determined to have a showdown with the European extremists in Algeria who have been campaigning for months against the self-determina-tion policy he laid down last September. Officials close to the President say de Gaulle has no intention of abandoning office. On the con-

trary, he would not hesitate to appeal by referendum to the French people over the head of Parliament to give him increased powers for several years to be free to handle the problem of Algeria in accordance with the principle of self-determination, which he believes is backed by the big majority of the French people.