611.51G31/13
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Under Secretary of State (Welles)
The French Ambassador called to see me this afternoon at his request. The Ambassador expressed the earnest hope of his Government that this Government would stimulate its efforts in undertaking some form of profitable economic interchange with Indochina, and, in particular, would release sufficient funds for Indochina to purchase in the United States. I inquired of the Ambassador in that connection what the status of the rubber question might be in connection with the arrangements which had previously been worked out for the purchase of Indochinese rubber by the United States. The Ambassador said it was his clear understanding that this arrangement could immediately be carried out now that the North African trade arrangement was going into effect.66 I suggested that he instruct his assistants in the Embassy to discuss this matter with Dr. Feis.67
- For correspondence see Foreign Relations, 1940, vol. ii, under France, section entitled “Interest of the United States in Political and Economic Conditions in French North Africa.” ↩
- Herbert Feis, Adviser on International Economic Affairs.↩