771.00/2–854: Telegram
The Chargé in France (Achilles) to the Department of State1
2893. General Guillaume told me today that he had expressed some concern at current Franco-Spanish relations over Morocco but hoped that improvement could be brought about. He said that in simplest [Page 637] terms North African question could be described as being whether North Africa should form part of Europe or Near East. Spanish interest like that of France, was in having it part of Europe but when Spain had no friends in Europe she had sought them in Moslem world and now, heartened by new respectability from agreements with US was trying to play both games. He said that during recent developments he had made considerable effort to insure that Spanish provocations were met calmly both in Paris and in Morocco and to avoid any retaliatory action which would make situation more difficult. He said the two countries which were fundamentally Christian and anti-Communist had much to gain from more cooperation and nothing to gain from discord. He very much hoped US could help promote such cooperation. I assured him that our policy was to endeavor to do exactly that.2
- This telegram was repeated to Madrid, Tangier, and Rabat.↩
- Tangier telegram 211, Feb. 10, reported that the Spanish had been telling the Legation they thought the French intended to incorporate Morocco into Metropolitan France, as they had Algeria. The Legation suggested that if Guillaume’s ideas became known in the Moslem world, it would probably harden anti-Western sentiment throughout the Arab-Asian bloc. (771.00/2–1054)↩