851R.6363/8–2742
The Counselor of the French Embassy (Panafieu) to the Chief of the Division of Near Eastern Affairs (Alling)
Dear Mr. Alling: Following a conversation which Mr. Villard had about the middle of June with Mr. Guérin,45 this Embassy was led to advise the French Government that the Department of State would authorize the shipment, in the shortest possible time, of a cargo of 13,000 tons of kerosene which corresponds, approximately, to the quarterly needs of North Africa, if the French Government were to undertake now, for the same space of time, not to export to any destination whatsoever the stocks of cobalt and molybdenum ores existing in North Africa at the beginning of June, as well as any other quantity of the ores in question which might be extracted during the period under consideration.
As Mr. Guérin stated that it would be very difficult for the French Government to make the commitment requested in the case of the two most important ores in North Africa if the French Government could not, at the same time, count on a concomitant commitment of the American Government for the supplying in full of petroleum products including, in addition to kerosene, gasoline for automobiles, gas-oil and fuel oil, he was told that the Department of State would greatly appreciate the initiative which the French Government might take in quickly accepting the proposal in question and in stopping any shipment of cobalt or molybdenum should any such be planned.
To meet the wishes of the American Government, the French Government made and respected the commitment requested. Now it is no longer a question of the shipment of a first cargo of 13,000 tons of kerosene nor, a fortiori of the establishment of a complete program for the supplying of North Africa with petroleum products.
Under these circumstances, I have the honor to advise you that, if a decision should not be arrived at in regard to this matter within a rather short period, the French Government would be led to [Page 366] reconsider its position with respect to the exporting of cobalt and molybdenum ores.
Please accept [etc.]