851.01/3866: Telegram
The Acting American Representative to the French Committee of National Liberation at Algiers (Chapin) to the Secretary of State
[Received 9:10 p.m.]
1799. Duff-Cooper informed me this morning that he had called on de Gaulle yesterday afternoon to say that he had heard the various rumors circulating around to the effect that de Gaulle after having accepted the Prime Minister’s invitation to London now appeared [Page 695] to be hedging and demanding that some special representative of the United States should be sent to London to participate in the conversations. Duff-Cooper stated that he had decided that he would take the initiative in this case rather than permit de Gaulle to complain to him. Duff-Cooper added that he had stated frankly that all arrangements including the privilege of communications between London and Algiers in French cipher had been made following an acceptance given and that he was afraid that if de Gaulle now was making new conditions it might upset everything at this critical juncture.
De Gaulle said that perhaps the rumors had been exaggerated and that the only point upon which he desired assurances was that the proposed London conversations should be Tripartite between representatives of Great Britain, the United States and himself. In other words said he, he wished assurances that after reaching an agreement with the British Government he would not have to take up the matters discussed again separately with representatives of the American Government.
Duff-Cooper replied that as he had informed de Gaulle in transmitting the invitation he was quite convinced that the conversations would be truly Tripartite as the invitation had been extended with, full approval of President Roosevelt. He pointed out that American representatives in London included General Eisenhower on a military and Ambassador Winant and Mr. Phillips on a political plane and that there were few persons in the United States who could be better qualified. He asked specifically whether the General would be satisfied if he obtained a statement to the effect that the conversations would be Tripartite and that General Eisenhower and Ambassador Winant would participate. De Gaulle replied in the affirmative.
Duff-Cooper fully reported the conversations to the Foreign Office last night and asked for instructions.
This afternoon when I called on Massigli he referred to de Gaulle’s conversation yesterday with Duff-Cooper and said that he felt it was essential that assurances be given that the conversations be truly Tripartite. He reiterated the point made by de Gaulle that the French wished to avoid the delay contingent upon referring any agreement reached in London between the British and French representatives for new discussions with the American authorities in Washington.
As I have received no instructions or background information I stated that while I felt sure that the conversations were intended to be Tripartite I would cable the Department for instructions which I hope can be expedited to me.
Sent to the Department as 1799, repeated to London as 188.