740.00119 European War 1939/776: Telegram
The Ambassador in France (Leahy) to the Secretary of State
[Received July 11—3:30 p.m.]
857. Embassy’s 855 [856], July 11, noon, with a request that it be transmitted to the British Government.
Rochat has just handed us the following communication:
“Reply of the French Government to the memorandum delivered on the night of the 10th–11th of July by the Embassy of the United States of America containing an outline of the British conditions to be communicated to General Dentz with a view to the cessation of hostilities in Syria.
- (a)
- The French Government has taken note of the conditions which the British Government wishes to have communicated to General Dentz in reply to the démarche made by him on July 8,29a through the Consul General of the United States at Beirut.
- (b)
- It regrets to note that the political conditions figuring under paragraph number 1 are incompatible with the rights and prerogatives as mandatory power which it has the duty of maintaining especially with respect to the population entrusted to its protection. France has always considered as an essential object of the mission which the mandate assigned to it to bring about as promptly as possible the emancipation of Syria and the Lebanon and to make of them free nations. It does not intend to shirk its obligations. But, it is only under its sole responsibility that it will choose the moment for and determine the procedure of that independence. No other power can rightfully be substituted for France in this question. The declaration by which the British Government claims to emancipate Syria and the Lebanon cannot but be therefore null and void.
- (c)
- It cannot furthermore lend itself under any pretext whatsoever to negotiations with Frenchmen who are traitors to their country like De Gaulle and Catroux.
- (d)
- The French Government cannot accept the term “complete amnesty” used by the British Government in paragraph number 2. French soldiers obeying the Government of their country do not have to be amnestied.
- (e)
- The French Government cannot sign an armistice which seeks to impose clauses so contrary to its interest and its dignity.
- (f)
- The French Government has given discretionary powers of attorney to General Dentz to take the steps required by the de facto situation with which he will be faced if the English Government assumes the responsibility of inhumanly prolonging the duration of a conflict which it initiated.”
Rochat again indicated orally that the authority to General Dentz contained in the last paragraph is very broad as far as cessation of hostilities is concerned under such conditions as he could arrange, but [Page 772] that the French Government would sign no armistice with political clauses such as the British suggested.
The two notes are to be made public almost immediately.
Repeated to London, Beirut and Casablanca.