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A.
ANNEX.
LIAISON BETWEEN HIS MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT
AND THE FREE FRENCH MOVEMENT.
FREE TRENCH HEADQUARTERS,
1. General Spears.
The status and functions of General Spears, Chief Representative and Liaison Officer of His Majesty's Government with General de Gaulle, will, so far as appropriate, resemble those of the head of a diplomatic mission, save that General Spears will report primarily to the Minister of Defence, though he will also, where appropriate, report to the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs on other than military matters.
2. Spears Mission.
Officers of the Service Departments will be appointed by the Department concerned and paid by it but no changes will be made without consultation with General Spears. The civilian staff may be seconded from other Departments but otherwise will be borne on the books of the War Cabinet Secretariat to which the Mission as a whole is attached. the same time all officers of the Mission will be responsible to the Head of the Mission under whose orders they will maintain liaison and co-ordinate action between British Departments of State and the Free French Movement.
3. Communication with the Free French Movement.
At
Except as noted in paragraphs 4, 5, 6, and 7 below, communications between the leadquarters of the Free French Movement and British Departments of State will pass through the Spears Mission. It is, of course, understood that General de Gaulle himself may, if he so desires, communicate direct with the Prime Minister, other Ministers of the Crown and with the Chiefs of Staff.
4. Communication with the Chiefs of Staff.
By direction of the Prime Minister, recommendations of the Chiefs of Staff Committee affecting action by the Free French Movement will be communicated to General de Gaulle, through General Spears.
5. Communication with the Foreign Office.
Officers at the Free French Headquarters appointed by General de Gaulle to take charge of diplomatic questions may deal direct with the Foreign Office, who will inform General Spears, as necessary, of the gist of any such direct inter- change of views. General Spears will similarly inform the Foreign Office of any communication between himself and the Free French Headquarters on matters which concern that Department. 6. Communications with the Ministry of Shipping.
The Ministry of Shipping will deal with the Free French Headquarters on matters of principle through the Spears Mission, and on matters of civil shipping administration with the staff of the Free French Mercantile Marine attached to the Ministry.
All military (including naval and air) demands for shipping of personnel and material will be obtained by the Spears Mission from Free French Headquarters and will be passed to the Director of Sea Transport through the regular Service channels used for similar British demands.
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