740.00112 European War 1939/6313: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Chargé in France (Tuck)
Washington, August
21, 1942—11 p.m.
521. Your 1170, August 10, 5 p.m., Algiers’ telegram of July 28, 8 p.m. to Tangier repeated to Vichy and the Department,30 and your 1089, July 26, 5 p.m.31
- 1.
- The Department is continuing its study of the Vichy proposals with the Board of Economic Warfare and is unable as yet to express any agreed views. In connection with this study it would be most helpful if you could throw additional light on the various changes which have occurred in the form of assurances which Vichy has from time to time suggested.
- 2.
- In your 897 of June 20, 1 p.m.32 your informant discussed the possibilities of restricting the export of certain minerals from French North Africa and asserted his Government’s willingness to give unofficial undertakings in this matter. From the context it appears that these assurances were offered in connection with the resumption of the North African program.
- 3.
- Following talks here with representatives of the French Embassy, the Department replied in its 397 of June 27, 5 p.m.,33 in substance, that it would be prepared to furnish a tanker load of kerosene to North Africa upon receipt of an unofficial undertaking of the French Government that (a) no further exports of cobalt would be made other than a specific shipment awaiting loading at Nemours, if cancellation of the latter proved impossible, (b) complete information as to shipping arrangements would be furnished us regarding the aforesaid specific shipment, and (c) facilities would be provided whereby we could satisfy ourselves in future that no movement occurred in the stocks of cobalt and molybdenum in French North Africa.
- 4.
- Your 959 of July 2, 3 p.m.34 reported a reiteration by your informant of his regret that the above-mentioned Nemours shipment could not be cancelled. Your informant promised, however, that we would be kept informed regarding plans for its departure and the course it would follow. Finally, it was requested by your informant that we address an official note to his Government stating that, if facilities were provided whereby we might satisfy ourselves that no movement occurred in the stocks of cobalt and molybdenum and that these minerals remained in North Africa, [Page 361] we would in return permit a French tanker to furnish a cargo of kerosene to North Africa. This suggestion was still under study by the Department and the Board of Economic Warfare when your 1089 of July 26, 5 p.m. was received. This telegram reported a proposal made by your informant that the French Government give us an official undertaking that (a) no shipments of cobalt for Germany would move in French ships, and (b) the French North African authorities would be instructed to forbid the export of cobalt (but presumably not molybdenum) to France or any other country in return for the resumption of petroleum (not kerosene) shipments to French North Africa.
- 5.
- Your 1170 of August 10, 5 p.m. appears to report a still further shift in the terms of proposals in that the only assurances mentioned in this telegram relate to the proposed prohibition on the movement of cobalt in French ships. In the light of these apparent modifications of the original proposal, the Department would appreciate it if through discreet inquiry you would ascertain (a) the precise character of the assurances which Vichy is prepared to offer this Government at the present time, (b) whether they would be official or unofficial, and if unofficial on whose responsibility and under whose control would they be carried out, and (c) what would be expected from us in return.
- 6.
- The review given above of the various proposals by Vichy has been primarily confined to those relating to the future movement of cobalt and molybdenum and not to the specific single shipment of cobalt from Nemours which was under contemporaneous discussion. As you are aware from the Tangier telegram under reference, Admiral Fénard35 disclaimed knowledge of any cobalt on the Matidja, which statement is contrary to the report to the Department in cable no. 477 of July 21 from Oran via Algiers.36 The Department would appreciate any information you can furnish bearing on the presence or absence of cobalt in the cargo of the Matidja. If cobalt not shipped on this voyage, do you know whether it has been shipped at all?
Hull