FRENCH MINISTER

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIX, Issue 47, 24 February 1945, Page 7

FRENCH MINISTER

IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENT (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright.)

LONDON, February 23,

The forthcoming visit to London of the French Foreign Minister, M. Bidault, which has just been announced, marks an important development at a somewhat critical stage in AngloFrench relations, state news agency diplomatic correspondents.

It is announced that the invitation was issued immediately after the Crimea Conference and before General de Gaulle's refusal of President Roosevelt's invitation to visit him on the way back to America. M. Bidault's visit presumably will be to discuss with Mr. Eden matters arising out of the Crimea Conference.

Correspondents say that the visit should do much to dispel the sense of frustration which has persisted among the French people since they first realised that General de Gaulle was not to participate in the Crimea Conference. The French Foreign Minister has now an opportunity to review the whole future of the association between Britain and France.

Although steps have already been taken to give the French Government full details of the Crimea Conference on the matters arising out of it, it is felt in London and Paris that the time is ripe for more intimate discussions than is possible through normal channels. The visit of M. Bidault is designed to afford an opportunity not only to deal with the Crimea Conference, but also to develop plans for accelerating and increasing economic aid to France and seeking an agreed policy on questions of special Anglo-French interest, notably the Levant problem. There looms in the background the question of an Anglo-French treaty of alliance, which is desired by the Governments of both countries. PROBABLE ACCORD. It is believed that the French Provisional Government will find, as a result of the conversations between M. Bidault and Mr. Eden, that the results of the Crimea Conference. do, in fact, accord with General de Gaulle's.desire in his recent broadcast that "brave old England will soon consent to what is vital to France with regard to Germany." The French Government has received satisfactory replies from the three Allied Governments concerning the Yalta decisions, stated a French Foreign Office spokesman quoted by Reuters Paris correspondent. The replies left official quarters with the impression that the three Powers have a genuine intention of admitting France into consultation on all questions pending, on a footin :of full equality. France's zone of occupation in Germany will be delimited by a European advisory commission on the basis of proposals submitted by the French Government. The French high command will be represented, on any armistice commission or in any armistice negotiations should these occur. France likewise will be represented on all 12 commissions of control to be established throughout Germany. There are still some points not cleared up. The French Government no doubt will ask for elucidation of these. ' A British United Press correspondent says the Foreign Office spokesman explained that the replies from the three Powers were not identical, but he described them as agreeing in general outline. FRENCH OCCUPATION ZONE. The correspondent says it is understood that the French will be given the Rhineland zone of occupation, the area of which is to be determined by the European advisory committee in London, on which M. Massigli repre- : sents France. France will be allowed to submit proposals for joint action on the basis of a free Europe. The declaration will be taken through normal diplomatic channels, and not through the new "super-directorate," which the French fear would be tantamount to handing over Europe to the rule of the Big Three. Reuters Paris correspondent reports that M. Bidault conferred with the Belgian Minister, M. Spaak, yesterday, when the future of the Rhineland was discussed. M. Bidault made it clear that France would welcome full Belgian co-operation in establishing the Rhineland, which must be detached politically and economically from the control of Berlin.

The Associated Press of Great Britain says France and Belgium are expected to announce accord as a first step towards closer relations between France Belgium, and Holland.