U.S. APOLOGISES TO FRANCE

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30811, 24 July 1965, Page 15

U.S. APOLOGISES TO FRANCE

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter —Copyright) PARIS, July 23. The United States tonight apologised to France for last week’s flight by an American reconnaissance aircraft over a French nuclear centre.

The apology was made through the American Embassy in Paris. The American charge d'affaires, Mr Robert MacBride, called on the head of

the political service of the French Foreign Office, Mr Charles Lucet, to make the apology. A French Foreign Office spokesman said Mr Macßride assured the French Government that the necessary measures had been taken to prevent any repetition of the incident.

Mr Lucet replied the French Government considered the incident closed. Last Friday, the United States photo-reconnaissance aircraft flew over the Pierrelatte enriched uranium plant four times at 2000 ft. The Americans at first denied the overflight and said the aircraft had apparently been forced to change course by a storm. The 175 photos taken by the United States aircraft were handed over to a French officer when it got back to its base in Germany. Official sources consider the incident gives additional justification to the French view that the existing N.A.T.O. regulations do not sufficiently respect the sovereign rights of the member states, and that in due course proposals for a change will be put forward by France.