851U.7962/28
The Assistant Secretary of State (Berle) to Mr. Adrien Tixier, Head of the Free French Delegation
My Dear Mr. Tixier: The receipt is acknowledged of your letter of August 7, 1942,35 in which you inquire whether this Government is prepared to give assurances that the installations being constructed by the United States Army at Pointe Noire will remain the property of France after the war.
In reply, I am glad to inform you that this Government is willing to bear the costs of the installations and improvements made by the United States Army for its own purposes at Pointe Noire and that these installations and improvements will remain the property of France after the war without compensation therefor.
Furthermore, the question of providing eight transport aircraft for French Equatorial Africa is receiving urgent consideration and every effort will be made consistent with the needs of our common cause to furnish these planes. As I have told you on several occasions, however, this Government cannot accept the proposition that the question of these planes is an integral part of the Pointe Noire project and a sine qua non for the conclusion of an agreement on that subject. The early completion of the Pointe Noire project is so clearly of great importance to our common interests in the prosecution of the war that it should be settled between us purely on its merits.
With reference to your request to be advised of the type of work which the War Department intends to carry on at Pointe Noire, I am pleased to enclose for your information a tabulation prepared by that Department.36
Finally, I am advised by the War Department that they would welcome the appointment of a Fighting French officer for the purpose of liaison with the American authorities in charge of the work at Pointe Noire.
Sincerely yours,