811.24551U/12
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Under Secretary of State (Welles)
Monsieur Tixier called to see me this afternoon at his request.
Monsieur Tixier raised the question of the work to be carried on by the War Department at Pointe Noire in French Equatorial West Africa. He referred to a communication which he had left in the Department of State under date of February 26 last, of which he handed me a copy for my information. He said no reply had, however, been received to this communication, and he called my attention to the last sentence in paragraph C of this communication, which requests an agreement on the part of the American Government that any installation undertaken by the military authorities of the United States at Pointe Noire become the property of the French people at the end of the war, with the understanding that no compensation therefor would be claimed by the United States, He said that was a very important question of principle and he thought it would be very desirable to have the matter settled. I said I would be glad to take this matter up with the War Department and let him know what their views might be. He asked also that some information be given to the National Committee as to the kind of work which the War Department intended to carry on at Pointe Noire, and further stated that General de Gaulle would like our agreement to the appointment by him of a Free French officer to act [Page 580] as liaison with the American authorities in charge of the work to be carried on in that place. I stated that this matter would also be given consideration.