851.6363/10–3145

The Ambassador in France (Caffery) to the Secretary of State

No. 3652

The Ambassador has the honor to enclose, herewith, a copy of the memorandum forwarded to His Excellency M. Bidault, Ministère des Affaires Etrangères, on the subject of the termination of the Petroleum Supply Agreement. This memorandum was drafted in accordance with the instructions from the Department sent to the Embassy under cable No. 4919, October 23, 1945.17

[Enclosure]

The American Ambassador (Caffery) to the French Minister for Foreign Affairs (Bidault)

The United States Ambassador presents his compliments to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and has the honor to draw His Excellency’s attention to the following matters:

1.
By memorandum of March 15, 1945,18 the French Government was invited to participate in a Petroleum Supply Arrangement with the governments of the United Kingdom and the United States, an arrangement rendered necessary by the exigencies of war.
2.
With the termination of hostilities and the consequent reduction in military requirements, petroleum and petroleum products have now come into free supply; moreover, it is understood that it is the intention of the United Maritime Authority shortly to return to their respective nations the petroleum tankers belonging to nationals of the member governments.
3.
In view of the foregoing, the United States Government believes that the necessity for continuing the limitations described in the memorandum of March 15, as well as the arrangements proposed therein for programming and coordinating supplies and transportation, will cease to exist after October 31, 1945.
4.
With the end of the war, the agencies of the United States Government concerned with petroleum matters have reduced the scope of their operations and, in certain cases, have been dissolved. Accordingly, procurement through United States governmental channels of petroleum and petroleum products will shortly cease.
5.
It is the view of the United States Government that with the relaxation of war-born controls the most desirable and efficient means [Page 783] of meeting the petroleum requirements of France and its territories will be through normal commercial channels.
6.
It is hoped that the French Government will agree with the United States Government that the mutual interests would best be served by the restoration of the principles of competitive free trade in this important industry.
7.
It is desired to take this occasion to express the appreciation of the United States Government for the unfailing cooperation of the French Government under the terms of the Petroleum Supply Agreement. It is felt that the effective operation of this Agreement has contributed materially to the successful termination of the war.

Paris, [undated].

  1. Not printed.
  2. Ante, p. 775.