HC Deb 27 September 1944 vol 403 cc215-6
10. Miss Ward

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he can now give details of the Agreement reached between Great Britain, the U.S.A. and the French National Committee.

Mr. Eden

I assume that my hon. Friend refers to the Agreement of 25th August regarding arrangements for civil administration in liberated France. At the time of signing the Agreement an official communiqué on the subject was issued to the Press, a copy of which I will send to my hon. Friend. The Agreement is a confidential document concerning military operations in progress, and I cannot at present add anything to the communiqué. In any case, His Majesty's Government could not disclose the text of the Agreement without the concurrence of the United States Government and the French authorities.

Miss Ward

Will my right hon. Friend bear in mind that in answer to a supplementary question previously he told me he hoped to be able to give me details of the agreement before the House rose for the Recess? Has he altered his mind?

Mr. Eden

I think I must have been referring to the communiqué which gave an account of the agreement. None of the agreements of this kind with the French or the Dutch or the Belgians have been made public, because they contain military clauses.

Mr. Cocks

Has the right hon. Gentleman received a request from the Foreign Minister of the French Provisional Government asking for full recognition and a seat on the Allied Commission? Is he going to consider that?

Mr. Eden

Perhaps the hon. Member will put that question down. It is quite a different question.