851W.20/11: Telegram
The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant) to the Secretary of State
[Received May 7—2:40 p.m.]
2445. In my talks with Eden85 I went into some detail covering position in relation to Vichy as it related to British interests, [Page 701] explaining your position and the reasons for it. As a result of our conversations, he is making the following statement in a speech which he will deliver in Edinburgh tomorrow night:
“His Majesty’s Government and the United States Government are agreed that the territory of Madagascar remains French and will continue to be part of the French Empire.
In this, as in other aspects of policy towards France, we and the United States Government have been and are in complete accord.
In particular we have been agreed with the policy of the United States Government to maintain contact with the Vichy Government.”
He hopes that the statement will help clarify the respective position of our two Governments. The British have been very appreciative of our statement on Madagascar.
- Anthony Eden, British Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.↩