740.0011 European War 1939/10601: Telegram
The Minister in Egypt (Kirk) to the Secretary of State
[Received May 4—11:37 a.m.]
392. The Legation’s despatch No. 2351, February 18, and my despatch No. 8, April 9.57 The Legation has received a confidential report that the Governor of French Somaliland recently renewed a proposal to the British that on the condition that no Free French troops enter French Somaliland cooperation could be effected between the British and the French in respect of the use at [of] the port of Djibouti, transport, and other matters.
The Legation understands that the British are reluctant to accept cooperation on this basis, point out that the French and Italians cooperated when the latter held the surrounding territory and consider that the question can be solved satisfactorily only if the territory becomes Free French. No precise information is available to the Legation at present as to the final decision which the British may take in the premises but in this connection it should be noted according to available information practically all Free French troops which have been in North and East Africa are being concentrated in Palestine.
- Neither printed.↩