751.5–MAP/4–3051: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Embassy in France 1
5783. Tomap.
1. Fol msg concurred in by ISAC agencies replies Embtels 6304,2 6246, 6247, and 6248.3
2. You are authorized inform Fr that total of $129 million will be allocated in near future without further prior discussion of conditions. FYI actual allotment these funds dependent on apportionment from Budget Bureau which expected shortly.
3. Leave to ur judgment exact phrasing of note outlined Embtel 6248. Assume you will take into account Ecato 457,4 developments [Page 388] reported Embtels 6417, 6416, and 6392,5 and other pertinent factors. Have in addition fol comments:
- (a)
- Believe advisable note make appropriate reference to fact some of $129 million might prove to be more properly applicable to later period and to effect improvement in reserve position might have on future aid requirements (refer para 7, Deptel 4946).
- (b)
- Some feeling here that note outlined Embtel 6248 seems to say without adequate explanation US providing aid despite failure Fr meet commitments. Believe it desirable in addition to present text outline to relate provision of aid to legitimate requirements of expanding rearmament program which is on whole worthy of US support.
- (c)
- Similarly note seems to give impression we are interested in modifications of present program only in order to make it conform to Oct hypothesis. This is not the case. These modifications are suggested as desirable ones from mil point of view quite independently of issue of conformance with Oct presentation. We hope they can be considered on their merits. What we are basically interested in, of course, is getting Fr to carry out present program rapidly and to increase it as soon as possible. Our goal is not conformance with Oct presentation but a program adequate to requirements of MTDP.
4. Pls cable text note when given Fr.
- Drafted by John O. Bell and cleared with Baum and Van Cleveland of ECA, Curtis of Treasury, Perkins and Beigle of EUR, Van Syckle of Defense, and Schelling of the Executive Office of the White House; repeated to London for Spofford.↩
- Supra.↩
- Telegrams 6246, 6247, and 6248 from Paris are not printed, but see footnote 5, supra.↩
- Telegram Ecato 457 from the Administrator for Economic Cooperation, Foster, to the ECA Mission in France, April 24, asserted that a review of pertinent figures indicated that French estimates of dollar receipts and expenditures for the second quarter of calendar 1951 seemed “extremely unrealistic,” erring on the side of pessimism. Foster added that the maximum aid figure of $395 million for France in fiscal 1950/1951 “includes generous estimate Fr legitimate import needs” and therefore the allotment of $200 million for the current French military program “under approach outlined Deptel 4946” was both realistic and generous. (ECA message files, FRC 53 A 278, Paris)↩
- Telegram 6392 from Paris, April 21, reported that an aide-mémoire had been submitted to the French Minister for National Defense on April 3, pursuant to telegram 4946 to Paris (see footnote 5, supra), specifying items in the French military production program “which we felt might be deleted or deferred and other items which we felt shld be expanded or strengthened in order to contribute to a greater effectiveness this year of the Fr mil program including the mil production program.” The telegram then went on to discuss in detail the first meeting “yesterday morning with officials Fr Min Natl Def to discuss changes suggested in our aide-mémoire” (751.5–MAP/4–2151) Telegrams 6416 and 6417 from Paris, both dated April 22, reported on two subsequent meetings which were highly technical in nature and somewhat acrimonious in substance. (751.5–MAP/4–2251)↩