851.51/10–1447: Telegram
The Ambassador in France (Caffery) to the Secretary of State
Paris, October 14,
1947.
4423. Today’s French press gave prominence to following news reports from Washington:
- 1.
-
Pre-interim aid.
- a.
- US agreement to French request that $93,000,000 second Exim Bank loan, be transferred from equipment expenditures to purchase coal and raw materials.
- b.
- Consideration being given by US Government to other sources immediate financial aid, including restitution German and Japanese looted gold, payment for US military expenditures in France and assistance in locating French hidden assets in US.
- 2.
- Committee of European Economic Cooperation.
- Reports quoted an authorized source as stating American Government desired that CEEC conference be reconvened to approve changes in its report regarded by US as necessary before it could be submitted to Congress.
- Despatch from London quotes Foreign Office spokesman as saying that other means existed for clarifying the points of the plan which gave rise to the difficulties.
Caffery