Statement

USA Makes Clear Statement Recognition of Free French Authority

From Our Own Correspondent NOUMEA, March 9. mHE Free French High Commissioner in X the Pacific, Admiral Thierry d’Ar genlieu, on February 28, announced in Noumea that he had received the following communication from the State Department of the United States Gov ernment: — “The policy of the Government of the United States, as regards the French people and French territory, has been based upon the maintenance of the in tegrity of France and of the French Empire, and of the eventual restoration and the complete reconstitution of all French territories.

“Mindful of its traditional friendship for France, the United States Govern ment deeply sympathizes, not only with the desire of the French people to main tain their territories intact, but with the efforts of the French people to con tinue to resist the forces of aggression.

“In its relations with the local French authorities, in French territories, the United States has been, and will con tinue to be, governed by the manifest effort with which those authorities en deavour to protect their territories from domination and control by the common enemy.

“With the French authorities in con trol of French territories in the Pacific, the United States Government has treated, and will continue to treat, on the basis of their actual administration

of the Islands territories involved.

"The United States recognizes, in par ticular, that French Islands possessions in the Pacific area are under the control of the French National Committee estab lished in London, and the United States authorities are co-operating for the de fence of these Islands with the authorities established by the French National Com mittee, and with no other French authority.

“The United States appreciates the importance of New Caledonia in the defence of the Pacific area.”