791.003/65: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in France (Herrick)
59. Your 4, January 5, 5 p.m.15 For oral use at the French Foreign Office:
On March 1 the following point of view was orally brought to the attention of the French Ambassador:
As all foreign non-Moslems in Persia have fundamentally the same interests and as reform in Persia is progressing slowly and precariously and there is lacking at present a qualified judicial personnel, certain safeguards are needed for the protection of all foreigners in Persia following the abrogation May 10 of the treaties. The 16 safeguards proposed by the British Government (a summary of which has been sent the United States, French, and German Governments) are indicative of the sort of safeguards which this Government has in mind. Clearly it is desirable for the representatives in Persia of the capitulatory powers to work along the same lines in connection with safeguards. Should satisfactory safeguards not have been accepted by the Persian Government and not be in operation before May 10, the Persian Government’s postponement of putting the new system into effect should be urged.
[Page 689]A similar conversation has taken place with the German Ambassador and will occur next week with the Italian Ambassador.
While evincing little interest in this matter, the French Ambassador appeared to appreciate the view of the Department regarding the essential identity of foreign interests in Persia and the desirability of the foreign representatives at Teheran cooperating in the matter of safeguards. He said he would cable a summary of his talk with the Department to the French Foreign Office.
- Not printed.↩