880.00/12–147
The Ambassador in France (Caffery) to the Secretary of State
No. 9969
Sir: I have the honor to refer to the Department’s Top Secret telegram No. 4028 of October 23, 1 p. m., raising various points in connection with the French Foreign Office’s North African policy folder.
When I first spoke to M. Chauvel about the significance of the “formal American assurances”, which the Foreign Office had referred to in its memorandum on North Africa, he answered that he was not sure but would look into the matter.
Subsequently, M. Bonneau, Chief of the Africa Near East Division at the Foreign Office, informed a member of my staff: “I’m afraid we were mistaken about the ‘formal assurances’. In making this statement, [Page 731] we thought we had correctly interpreted the expressions of friendship and understanding in connection with the North African situation which have been forthcoming from various American sources during the past few months.”
M. Bonneau was, of course, informed that the Foreign Office had been correct in believing that the American Government had not only “understanding” but furthermore a desire to assist in the constructive solution of the thorny North African problem. However, it was clearly pointed out that the latter could not be unconditional, that it would have to depend on the scope and content of the policies which the French Government may pursue in Morocco and Tunisia, and that there was a definite difference between our “understanding” and “formal assurances”.
With reference to the “timetable”, M. Bonneau was definitely pessimistic about the possibility of preparing one at the present time. He said that it would be impossible to obtain a commitment from North African Nationalist leaders “just as long as they think that war may be imminent or that a radically different French Government may come into office practically overnight”. He added, however, that this would not prevent France from continuing to implement basic reforms and in particular public education. In this connection he stated that the new Moroccan budget would include 800,000,000 francs for the building of new schools in Morocco and that 500 Tunisian students were in Paris this winter. However, he indicated that the French Government had “regretfully” come to the conclusion that it was impossible at the present time to have far-reaching general talks with the Nationalist leaders and to announce a timetable in view of general political conditions throughout the world as well as in France.
It is obvious that General de Gaulle’s eventual return to power, which is accepted as practically a certainty in most political circles, is having the effect of making otherwise liberal high French officials fearful of initiating measures or programs which they feel sure the General would view as “abdicating French sovereignty and squandering France’s inheritance”.
Respectfully yours,