VICHY NOTE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 86, Issue 114, 18 May 1942, Page 5

VICHY NOTE

SHIPS AT MARIINIQUE U.S.A. IGNORES LAVAL NEGOTIATIONS WITH ADMIRAL ROBERT I ONI INCE. 1 (By Telesi-upi—Fees. Association —Cupycizhtl ' (Reed. 10.15 p.m.) London, May 17. 1 The main points in the Vichy Note 1 to Washington regarding Martinique '■ are that, if the United Statese Gov- = ernment’s proposals were adopted, " are that, it the United States Gove ernment of tne exercise of essential rights in colonies which have been . ' French for three centuries. The p United States demands that merchantE men immobilised at Antilles ports . shall he handed over to America, but E this is specifically forbidden under . the armistice terms for which the [ French Government cannot envisage I, such possibility. There was no justili- " cation for American fears that fe>ench warships might be used against American ini crests. The French Government had' never broken its word, and it is determined strictly to respect this undertaking. “The French Government is willing to negotiate, through Admiral Robert, any proposals, having due regard to >. French sovereignty and neutrality in - accordance with the existing agrees ment, which would give the United i- States every guarantee concerning the immobilisation of our warships and y merchantmen, provided it was clearly ■t understood that the merchantmen it would not be used by the American is United States Government, knowing that France, plunged in misfortune, d would bear a heavy responsibility before history if, through an act oi unjustifiable violence, it broke the bonds 's i>f friendship between our peoples.” The Washington correspondent of ie the New York Times says the United " States Government ignored Laval's action in making public his version of the American proposals for the neutralisation of Martinique and other French possessions in Ute Western Hemisphere. Laval's statement is regarded in Washington as an attempt to inject himself into the negotiations, in which he has had no part, since the United States is dealing exclusively with Admiral Robert. |- London, May 1-1. y The United States negotiations . about Martinique are proceeding. e The Secretary of State, Mr. Cordell t Hull, to-day emphasised the imports’ ance of the economic side of the negoi- tiations, Approximately 140,000 tons e of French shipping are involved in j this part of the talks. e Mr. Hull Reiterated the importance attached by the American Navy to the immobilisation of the three French warshins at Martinique. This, he said, was going forward. An agency correspondent says that despite all that Laval has said to the contrary, the State Department is having no dealings with him over Martinique.