FRANCE AND U.S.A.

Grey River Argus, 25 August 1945, Page 3

FRANCE AND U.S.A.

NEGOTIATIONS GO WELL • (Rec. 1.30) WASHINGTON, Aug. 23. President Truman told a group ol French correspondents covering General de Gaulle’s visit to America that he hoped that they would begin to give the United States a square deal in the French press, which it had not had so far. The Associated Press said: me Frenchmen obviously were s taken aback. Diplomatic sources later professed puzzlement as to what Mr Truman had in mind, but it is recalled that there has been some comment in French newspapers, which has tended to minimise the United States relief activities, and criticised the handling of lend-lease. Mr Truman told Amercian pressman he had a pleasant two-hour talk with General de Gaulle last night covering all questions of mutual interest. A member of General de Gaulle’s party revealed that General de Gaulle was highly pleased at the results of the preliminary talk. The Foreign Economic Administration is reported to have approved of a twenty million dollars loan to France through the Export-Import Bank. ' The question of Indo-China is also believed to be on the agenda of the discussions. A French official said General de Gaulle was very optimis tic about the American view on Indo-China, which, it reported, favours returning Indo-China to’ French administration as soon as possible after liberation. FRENCH INDO-CHINA. PARIS, August 23. Admiral Georges Argenlieu, who will soon be leaving to assume the Governor-Generalship of Indo-China, has denied assertions that France is unable to administer the colony. He said that the Administrative Corps was still in Indo-China, where they remained throughout the occupation. He believed that the majority were non-collaborationists who were prepared to resume their_functions. Admiral Argenlieu said that France would be guided by the principles of the United Nations' Charter in governing the colony. It is reported from Rangoon that French forces, including Maquis and veterans of the European war, are waiting in Ceylon to lead occupation forces into Indo-China under General Roger Blaizot. The Dutch, similarly, are ready to send delegations with the British forces, who will shoulder most of the burdens of occupying the Netherlands East Indies.