800.51W89 France/913
The French Ambassador ( De Laboulaye ) to the Acting Secretary of State
Mr. Secretary of State: In reply to your letter of June 9, my Government has instructed me to address to you the following communication:
“The French Government had hoped that the due date of June 15 would not arrive before the conclusion of an arrangement on the settlement of the war debts, responding to the considerations set forth in the resolution voted by the Chamber of Deputies on December 13.
“Circumstances, unfortunately, have not yet permitted the realization of that hope, but the French Government still thinks that in the nearest future a solution ought to be found for the problem of intergovernmental debts in the interest of world economic recovery and particularly for the purpose of maintaining as well as of developing the results already obtained, which results are due in so large a measure to the sacrifices of France with respect to her own claims.
“The French Government therefore finds itself obliged to postpone the payment due on June 15. But it by no means intends to break, unilaterally, engagements freely entered into and desires to renew to the Federal Government the assurance that it is always ready to bring in all appropriate ways its most active cooperation in seeking a satisfactory solution.”
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