862.33/238: Telegram

The Ambassador in France (Leahy) to the Secretary of State

314. Reference Embassy’s 281, February 24, 10 a.m. and Department’s 131 of February 24, 8 p.m. The following is a translation of a communication dated February 27 signed by Admiral Darlan which was received from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs:

“Mr. Ambassador: In reply to your letter of February 26 and while maintaining the indications of fact contained in the aide-mémoire of February 23, I have the honor to declare to Your Excellency that under no circumstances and under no pretext will the French Government allow war vessels or military planes of any belligerent power to enter French ports or territory of the Western Hemisphere (Antilles, Guiana, St. Pierre, Miquelon).

The French Government awaits from the American Government the assurance that this decision, which should dissipate all apprehensions recently expressed at Washington, should imply necessarily on the part of the United States Government the strict respect or reestablishment by action and by law of French sovereignty over these territories as well as of the status of neutrality in which it intends to maintain them, please accept, et cetera, Darlan.”

In handing this note to us which he described as containing a complete reversal of the French position, Rochat expressed the hope [Page 617] that it would meet with our Government’s approval. He stressed the fact that this step when applied would serve “hermetically to seal” French possessions in the Western Hemisphere to vessels of belligerent powers, naturally including the United States. He pointed out however that the decision would not become operative until our Government had formally signified its agreement thereto, at which time all belligerent powers would be formally notified thereof.

Insofar as the reference to neutrality in the penultimate paragraph of the communication is concerned, Rochat pointed out that his Government felt it was stretching a point in permitting our Naval observer to remain in Martinique.

This note appears definitely to propose that the United States and the Axis Powers be subjected to exactly the same restrictions in the French possessions mentioned therein.

Leahy