Couve de Murville, Maurice

(1907-1999)

   diplomat, political figure

   Born in Reims, Maurice Couve de Murville served as inspector of finance during World War II and, in that capacity, helped to rally algeria to the Allies after their landing in North Africa. He was made commissioner of finances of the National Committee for French Liberation at Algiers (1943-44), then served as the provisional government's ambassador to Rome (1945), director general of political affairs in the Foreign Ministry (1944-50), ambassador to Egypt (1950-54), to Washington (1955-56), and to Bonn (1956-58), foreign minister from 1958 to 1960 (in which capacity he pursued a policy of keeping France out of NATO's military operations and Great Britain out of the European Economic Community), then minister of the economy and finance (May-July 1968). Couve de Murville, a loyal Gaullist, became premier in July 1968. He resigned in June 1969, after the departure of President Charles de gaulle. His writings include Une Politique étrangère 1598-1969 (1971) and Le Monde en face (1989).