Couve de Murville, Maurice

Couve de Murville, Maurice

(mōrēs` ko͞ov də mürvēl`), 1907–99, French politician and diplomat. After World War II he served as ambassador to Egypt, the United States, and West Germany. As minister of foreign affairs in Charles de Gaulle's administration (1958–68), he pursued the policies of keeping France out of NATO military operations and preventing Great Britain from becoming a member of the European Economic Community (Common Market). He served briefly as finance minister (May–July, 1968) and then as premier until June, 1969. He was a member of the national assembly (1973–86) and was elected to the senate in 1986, serving until 1995.

Couve de Murville, Maurice

 

Born Jan. 24, 1907, in Reims; French diplomat and statesman.

Couve de Murville received an education in law and philology. He was a close associate of General C. de Gaulle. In 1943 he became commissioner of finances for the French Committee of National Liberation. In 1944 he was the French representative to the Allied Control Commission in Italy. In 1945 he became director of the political department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. From 1950 to 1954, Couve de Murville served as ambassador to Egypt, from 1954 to 1956 as ambassador to the USA, and from 1956 to 1958 as ambassador to the Federal Republic of Germany. He was minister of foreign affairs from 1958 to 1968 and prime minister from July 1968 to June 1969. In 1973, Couve de Murville became chairman of the Commission on Foreign Affairs of the National Assembly. He has participated in many international conferences.