851A.01/36: Telegram
The Ambassador in France (Leahy) to the Secretary of State
[Received January 6—9:25 a.m.]
15. Department’s 5, January 3, 3 p.m. We saw Rochat, who has just been given the rank of Ambassador and named Secretary General of the Foreign Office, this afternoon with regard to the proposals advanced [as] a possible solution in settling the Saint Pierre-Miquelon situation.
He informed us that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had been apprized by the French Ambassador in Washington of the three points mentioned in the Department’s telegram referred to above, and said that his Government was in virtual agreement with them with the following reservations:
As regards the appointment of an administrator, he said that his Government did not consider that there was any inhabitant of the islands competent to fulfill these duties satisfactorily. Consequently it was suggested that as soon as the present administrator was released by Admiral Muselier he should resume his duties during the brief period until Admiral Robert could send from Fort-de-France a competent official to replace him as administrator.
Rochat added that his Government had some slight susceptibility with regard to this point and he indicated that if permission were given to the present administrator to resume his duties, even for the briefest of periods and until he could be replaced by Admiral Robert’s selection, the Vichy Government would be satisfied.
The French Government agreed to the appointment of American and Canadian observers to their Consulates in the islands but would request, from the Canadian Government, a declaration as to its respect of the territorial sovereignty of the islands. The French Government would also request a strictly limited use of the wireless for transmission of messages of a purely administrative order.
He said that instructions as to the selection of an administrator had been telegraphed to Admiral Robert at noon yesterday and the French Ambassador in Washington had been advised yesterday afternoon of the French Government’s views concerning these proposals.