881.00/8–3045: Telegram
The Ambassador in France (Caffery) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 30—7:22 p.m.]
5235. From Villard. At final session of Tangier Conference yesterday we proposed an additional resolution regarding development [Page 654] of Tangier Zone in the interest of its inhabitants along lines suggested by Department in its 4044, August 27, 8 p.m. While this proposal was warmly supported by Soviet delegation as in keeping with the spirit of the times, it provoked a strong adverse reaction on the part of the French who insisted that all points were already covered by existing international agreements and that it implied past failure by the powers to live up to the objectives outlined. The best we could obtain was agreement to insert in forthcoming press communiqué a statement reading as follows:
“The signatory powers, as in the past, will lend the fullest support to the development of the Tangier Zone. The international administration will continue to exert itself for the prosperity and general welfare of the inhabitants.”
After careful consideration we did not feel it would be advisable to suggest that governments in default of their financial obligations should be excluded from Tangier interim regime. Such a proposal would have entailed eleventh hour modification of provisions relating to State Bank of Morocco and would most probably have given rise to further display of sensitivity by one or more of the delegations.
Sent Department as 5235; repeated to Tangier as 50. [Villard.]