740.0011 European War 1939/29487
The British Ambassador (Halifax) to the Under Secretary of State (Welles)
My Dear Welles: I have now received the comments of my Government on the amendments which as you informed me in your letter of April 2nd, the President wished to make in the revised drafts of the Casablanca memoranda regarding relations with General Giraud.
His Majesty’s Government accept these amendments but they would now like to suggest that the third as well as the second paragraph of the second memorandum should be deleted. They point out that this paragraph is misleading since there could now be no question of providing shipping and supplies on the scale indicated. In any case it seems inappropriate to give details of the economic programme seeing that details of the military equipment to be supplied are now left out. They would accordingly prefer to substitute for the existing paragraph 3 a general statement in the following terms:—
“On the economic plane it has been agreed that the United States Government and His Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom shall do their best to furnish the supplies necessary for the re-establishment of the economic life of French North and West Africa, in so far as shipping can be made available for this purpose and having regard to the schemes of other territories at war with the Axis.”
I have been asked to suggest that if the President accepts this further amendment, Mr. Murphy and Mr. Macmillan should be instructed to address identic letters to General Giraud covering the amended versions of the memoranda and stating that they have the approval of their respective Governments.
Would you let me know whether this proposal is acceptable?
Yours very sincerely,