851.01/2403
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Secretary of State
Mr. Henri Hoppenot, Chief ad interim of the French Military Purchasing Commission, and Mr. Philippe Baudet, Delegate ad interim of the French National Committee in the United States, called [Page 142] at their request and handed me a notice of the formation of the French Committee of National Liberation and the text of the declaration establishing the Committee (copies attached47).
I stated that, as was well known, this Government had continuously hoped for the unification of all French resistants in a common effort against Axis aggression wherever it might be found throughout the world. I said I warmly welcomed, therefore, the spirit in which the French National Council of Liberation had been formed.48
I concluded by expressing deep appreciation of the spirit of sacrifice which had made the union of true French interests possible and added the conviction that the same spirit would continue to animate all Frenchmen in meeting the problems still to be faced for the liberation of continental France.
- Notice of the formation of the Committee not printed. The text of the declaration establishing the Committee is quoted in telegram No. 1034, June 3, 8 p.m., from the Consul General at Algiers, p. 134.↩
- For text of statement on the acceptance of the Committee by the United States, see Department of State Bulletin, June 12, 1943, p. 514.↩