Office of the Historian

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

Paris, February 1, 1956—8 p.m.

3432. Department telegram 2714.2 Counselor Israeli Embassy Bendor today requested information on status 12 Mystere IV–A’s requested by France for availability for Israel. Bendor reported that Director Afrique-Levant Roux at Quai d’Orsay informed Israeli Ambassador here that French Ministry Defense having received oral approval through French Ambassador Washington, via Quai d’Orsay, had requested specific authorization from Embassy’s MDAP officer to make 12 planes available from OSP contracts. Bendor asked Embassy officer whether Roux’s information is correct. If so, he wanted to know Embassy’s plans for complying with Ministry Defense’s request for specific authorization.

From first paragraph reference telegram Embassy assumes that Defense is prepared to accept any extension of completion date on Mysteres contract caused by delivery of Mysteres to Israel. We plan [Page 127] to so advise French and Israeli Embassies later this week if Department has no objection. (See also Embassy telegram 2714.3)

If French Government is deliberately dragging its feet because of considerations contained paragraph 2 reference telegram, responsibility for this delay has now been placed on this Embassy. We feel since original request was instigated by French Government, any delay for political reasons should be French responsibility.

Since French Government has kept Israeli Ambassador Paris fully informed on French-United States negotiations on release of 12 planes, we fear leak to press is distinct possibility. It would then be most unfortunate for United States, in interest maintaining neutrality toward Near East area, and we foresee possible recriminations with both United States and France being accused by Arabs for shipping Mysteres to Israel and by Israelis for holding up shipments.

Would appreciate instructions.4

Dillon
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 784A.56/2–156. Secret. Repeat to London, Rome, and Tel Aviv. Received at 8:43 p.m.↩
  2. Document 40.↩
  3. Reference is presumably to telegram 3373, Document 43. Telegram 2714 from Paris deals with an unrelated matter.↩
  4. See Document 74.↩