862.33/243: Telegram
The Ambassador in France (Leahy) to the Secretary of State
[Received March 13—12:37 p.m.]
381. Reference Department’s 140, March 2, 9 p.m.; and Embassy’s 369, March 10, 3 p.m.77 The following is a translation of a note dated March 12 signed by Admiral Darlan relative to the attitude of the French Government in connection with French possessions in the Western Hemisphere:
“Mr. Ambassador: In your letter of the 5th of this month, Your Excellency kindly conveyed to me the observations formulated by the Government of the United States with regard to the regime to which in the future warships and military planes of belligerent countries will be subjected in French possessions of the Western Hemisphere. Your Excellency, in particular, expressed the opinion that the proposal made by the French Government might imply a revision of the Robert–Greenslade agreement and of the arrangement reached between Admiral Robert and Admiral Home.
The American Government should not fail to understand the reasons, prompted both by the general provisions of international law as well as by existing circumstances, which oblige the French Government to adopt a regime providing for equality of treatment in regard to all of the belligerents. The proposal submitted in the note of February 27 last, however, has neither as its object or as its effect the modification of the Robert–Greenslade and Robert–Horne agreements; the French Government gives the assurance to the American Government that it does not intend to question these agreements to the maintenance of which it remains bound and which are compatible with the proposed new regime.
The French Government is on the other hand prepared to confirm to the High Commissioner the instructions previously given with a view to the settlement from the local point of view and in the spirit of the existing agreements of the difficulties which might arise on French territories of the Western Hemisphere.
The French Government having thus clearly defined its position awaits in its turn from the American Government, the assurances requested in the last paragraph of the note of February 27.
Accept et cetera.”
Admiral Darlan’s note still fails to give the assurances previously requested that Axis planes and vessels shall not be permitted to enter French ports in this area. However, Rochat, whom we saw this afternoon, stated that his Government’s attitude was more a theoretical maintenance of the French position of neutrality and he assured us emphatically that there was no question of a revision of the Greenslade–Robert or Horne–Robert agreements which would remain unimpaired. Under such circumstances he felt that his Government could reasonably expect the assurances requested in the final paragraph of its note of February 27.
Should this note be accepted by the United States it will, in my opinion, be understood by Vichy as a guarantee that sovereignty over the French Islands will remain with the present Government of France.
In view of present and possible future naval developments in the western Atlantic it is suggested if the note is accepted that, in order to prevent future misunderstandings, Vichy be officially informed that the United States reserves full liberty of action in connection with French Colonies in the Western Hemisphere which it may consider necessary to the defense of America.