FRENCH DELEGATION BOLTS NATO MEETING

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP61-00357R000300050019-1
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 4, 2010
• Sequence Number: 19
• Publication Date: November 15, 1945
• Content Type: NSPR

Approved For Release 2010/05/04: CIA-RD__P__6.1-00357R000300050019-1
Frencn ueiegation
_ Bol,ts NATO Meeting
The French delegation stalked out of a NATO meet g today,>.n.Paris in protest against Ang-
lo-U. S. arms shipments to Tunisia and set off the gravest crisis m t _ ,i1 lit-yep history of thr
Atlantic organization.
There were these other Ma
developments :
? Two British planes land.
ed at Tunis with sub-machine
guns and ammunition for the
Tunisian army, with a USAF
plane due to fly to Tunis
later today with American
weapons from West Germany.
? The NATO crisis threat-
ened to bring down the newly
created French government
of Felix Gaillard.
? The official Soviet news
agency, Tass, said the U. S.
"is getting ready to seize
North Africa."
EMERGENCY PARLEY
France called for an emer.
gency meeting of the NATO
foreign ministers to consider
the situation, and a meeting
of the permanent council of
NATO was summoned for to-
morrow at its Paris headquan
ters to lay the foundation for
such a meeting.
Two British planes landed
at Tunis Airport this morn.
ing with sub-machineguns
and ammunition for the
3000-man Tunisian army.
U. S. Embassy sources In
Tunis said an American
transport plane would fly in
arms this afternoon from
Germany - M-1 rifles and
ammunition.
Britain and the U. S. said
they were acting to beat Rus-
sia to the punch, but the arms
shipments over French pro.
test gravely strained Atlan.
tic solidarity and threatened
to bring down the govern-
ment of Premier Felix Gail-
lard.
The sudden British-Ameri-
can decision to arm Tunisia
caught the NATO,meeting by
sur,';: 3r.:
'Otbl't!' ~"~'}f a n'`c
Green (., R.--LT, chairman
of the Senate Foreign Rela-
tions Committee, said: "This
Is not the proper way of
FELIX GAILLARD
In peril
going before the National
Assembly today to explain
the French position and try
to save his government. He
was expected to seek a vote
of confidence tomorrow or
Monday.
The French were angrier
at their Anglo-U. S. allies
than at any time in years.
They believe the Tunisian
arms would be used to help
the Algerian rebels, and fiery
Gaullist party leader Michele
Debre said French public
opinion would not permit
French soldiers to "be killed
by ,allied bullets."
KREMLIN MOVES
The Kremlin moved to
cash In on the crisis that has
rocked the Atlantic alliance. I
It said the United States was
trying to make Tunisia de-
pendent on it in a move to
grab North Africa for Itself.
This played on French
fears-expressed In the Sen.
ate last night by M. Debre
"contlum" Ip, . erican
taker Over FVOoe's Saharg to
a
riches.,, llJe . has suggested
France pall out of NATO
for ggodd, and the issue Is to
be. debated on Tuesday.
treating an ally. I firmly be. Pierre Schneiter, former
lieve that France should have speaker of the Chamber of
been consulted." Deputies, led today's walkout
`STUPID' from the NATO meeting of
members of the parliaments
Rep. Wayne L. Hays of various member govern.
(D.,O.) termed the Washing'- ' ments. A formal statement
ton decision a "stupid and said France felt the term At.
sterile policy." lantic solidarity had no
meaning under the circum-
M. Gaillard himself was stances.
THE WASHINGTON DAILY NEWS, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15,
Approved For Release 2010/05/04: CIA-RDP61-00357R000300050019-1