Office of the Historian

117. Telegram From the Embassy in France to the Department of State1

Paris, February 23, 1956—4 p.m.

3810. Reference: Embtel 3739.2 Maillard last night informed Embassy officer that apparently serious confusion still exists in U.S. extension MDAP contract to make 12 Mysteres available to French for delivery to Israel.

In reply to urgent instructions, French Ambassador Couve has now informed Foreign Office that he conferred with Department (Allen) on February 73 and 13.4 In his telegram to Foreign Office, Couve states that during both conversations he informed Allen that firm French decision to deliver 12 Mysteres had been taken and that French were requesting US Government give necessary instructions for interruption of contract at technical level. According to Maillard, [Page 222] Couve claims to have received assurances from Department both on February 7 and 13 that necessary instructions “had already been issued to Pentagon”. However, Foreign Office has contacted Colonel Harroll, Chief Air Procurement Service, Paris (AMFE–CAMA/PAP) who indicated he had received no instructions and no advance information that such instructions would be forthcoming.

In light of above, Foreign Office is replying to inquiries from Israeli Embassy that French Government has made two formal démarches to Department on February 7 and 13 and, despite assurances that appropriate instructions at technical level had been issued, Colonel Harroll has received no instructions.

Maillard stressed fact that Foreign Office is under extreme pressure from Israelis to get on with delivery of planes and from press (Embtel 37895) to aid Israelis.

It is increasingly difficult for Embassy to understand apparent confusion which exists re US implementation interruption MDAP contract… .

Once again ball is back in our laps and both Foreign Office and Israeli Embassy again feel that US Government is responsible for delay. Embassy would be grateful for any guidance Department could give re information to be transmitted to Foreign Office or Israeli Embassy and meanwhile is anxious to be of help should Department need additional information on French Government’s position which the Quai d’Orsay has been at great pains to make entirely clear to us here. In view heavy pressure here would appreciate information as to whether technical instructions are in fact being transmitted to US Air Procurement Service.6 (See paragraph 2 of Deptel 2819.7)

Dillon
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 784A.56/2–2356. Secret; Priority. Received at 12:06 p.m. Repeated priority to Tel Aviv and London.↩
  2. Document 101.↩
  3. No account of this conversation has been found in Department of State files.↩
  4. See Document 95.↩
  5. Not printed. (Department of State, Central Files, 651.74/2–2156)↩
  6. See Document 130.↩
  7. Document 74.↩