851.85/433: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in France (Leahy)
76. Your telegrams 167, February 2, 6 p.m., and 169, February 2, 8 p.m. You should inform the French Government that this Government is unable to accept any analogy between the accord initialed by Monsieur Henry-Haye and Admiral Land in regard to French tonnage in the United States and the proposed agreement permitting the use of French vessels in Indochina by the Japanese. It will be noted that the vessels in American ports were in the territorial jurisdiction of the United States whereas the proposed arrangement between the French and Japanese Governments deals with vessels in ports of Indochina, a French possession, over which France’s sovereign rights still continue to be recognized by this Government at the request of the French Government. Any agreement whatsoever which makes French vessels available for use against this country would, as stated in our previous message, be considered an unfriendly act.