851.50/4–745
The American Embassy in France to the French Ministry for Foreign Affairs
Aide-Mémoire
The Embassy of the United States of America presents its compliments to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and in compliance with instructions from its Government has the honor to convey the following:
- 1.
- —During August and September of this year, a Special Economic Mission, under the chairmanship of Ambassador William S. Culbertson, visited Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia in order to study the desirability and feasibility of bringing about the resumption of more normal commercial relationships between the United States and those areas. The Secretary of State recently requested Ambassador Culbertson to proceed to Paris in order to assist the American Ambassador in presenting to the Provisional Government of the French Republic [Page 765] certain views of the American Government based upon the report of the Special Economic Mission.
- 2.
- —Complete import supply programs for Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and French West Africa during 1945 have been agreed upon and presented with the endorsement of the French authorities. Applications for allocations of supplies and shipping are now in process. In view of this progress and the present availability of dollar exchange to the French Provisional Government, the American Government feels that dollar exchange should be provided on a current basis by the French authorities. Accordingly, the American Government feels warranted in the decision that it has reached that no such civilian supply purchases for French North and West Africa will be made through the Lend-Lease facilities of the Foreign Economic Administration under the cash reimbursable procedure after January 1, 1945, without payment in dollars on delivery.
- 3.
- —As the French authorities were informed in the Tri-Partite Committee meeting and through Mr. Monnet on February 7th last in Washington, the traditional policy of the Government of the United States is to foster the movement of trade through private commercial channels. Therefore, it is the American Government’s intention to withdraw Lend-Lease procurement assistance for civilian supplies for the French African territories above mentioned not later than June 30, 1945, During the intervening period and thereafter, it is hoped that the French Provisional Government will wish to join the American Government in accomplishing the resumption of normal commercial trade in such civilian supplies and that bulk procurement through the French Supply Council for French North and West Africa will be limited to those few exceptional cases wherein it is mutually agreed that such bulk purchases are demonstrably more effective. It is the expectation of the American Government that private trade in a large majority of civilian supplies for North and West Africa may be restored through this cooperation with the French local and central authorities.
- 4.
- —The Government of the United States understands that for the present emergency period a system of import licensing will be effected separately in French West Africa and in each North African territory and that issuance of import licenses within agreed programs under this system will automatically insure the availability of the required foreign exchange. Coincident with the issuance of licenses, French African importers can negotiate directly with traders in the United States or other areas for their purchases and arrange direct consignment and delivery. In establishing such import licensing procedures, the American Government respectfully draws attention to the importance that it places upon continued observation of its rights under existing agreements, including its special treaty rights in Morocco.
- 5.
- —Representatives of the United States present in French African areas will be available to assist the French authorities upon request in expediting the flow of private trade. They will also undertake most willingly to supply trade information, to expedite shipments or delivery and to facilitate communications.
- 6.
- —It is hoped that the French Provisional Government and local governments of French North Africa will, as has been the case in French West Africa, encourage private commercial representatives to come to the United States to assist in the resumption of private trade, and will promote direct contact between the American and French importers and exporters. Allied military restrictions on travel in North Africa have been lifted to permit commercial travel in both directions and the Government of the United States will continue its efforts to facilitate such travel. It is hoped that the French authorities will cooperate in the issuance of documents necessary for such travel.
- 7.
- —The Government of the United States is particularly anxious to stimulate the flow of exports from North and West Africa to the United States and will contribute all possible assistance to obtain this objective, as it realizes that both North and West Africa normally are not exporters to dollar destinations in sufficient volume to create a sufficient dollar exchange to cover the purchase of imports now included in existing programs and contemplated in the near future.
- 8.
- —The Government of the United States will welcome any suggestions from the French authorities looking toward the accomplishment of the purposes stated above and, in general, the fostering of normal commercial relationships between residents of French North and West Africa and the United States.
[
Paris
,] December 12, 1944.