752.5/3–1151: Telegram
The Ambassador in France (Bruce) to the Secretary of State 1
5309. In conversation this morning with Boegner, chief FonOff southern European division, in which we went over ground covered in Deptels 46252 and 46263 it developed that FonOff is now resigned to fact Ambassador Griffis is going ahead on basis of his now modified instructions to sound out France on Spanish Government’s attitude toward making contribution to western defense. FonOff understands, however, that it and UK Government will be given full account of results Griffis-Franco conversations and will be consulted before any further step is undertaken. FonOff hopes Griffis will impress on Franco necessity for no public disclosures concerning our approach but is of course skeptical of his success and in considerable trepidation as to political repercussions in France and other western European countries which would result from such disclosures if, as French fear, they occur.
[Page 807]Boegner most earnestly emphasized that if attitude of French Government toward Spanish defense contribution must now necessarily be politically negative, France’s common frontier with Spain and her joint position in Morocco with Spain make her vitally interested in every development affecting that country. For instance, in event it were decided that US would negotiate for air and naval bases in Spain, France would expect to participate not only in such political decision but also would expect to be kept duly informed and to be consulted on technical aspects of negotiations such as choice of sites. Same would be even more true if we went beyond stage of military bases and were to give consideration to furnishing military equipment to Spanish armed forces with view to their eventual participation in western defense.