189. Telegram From the Embassy in France to the Department of State 1

4740. Savary sent for me today and told me that the French Government was glad to give its agreement to an increase in air force ceiling in Morocco of 2,225 individuals as requested by US. He said that he had only two conditions to pose, the first was that there be no publicity about this change and the second that it be implemented in gradual enough manner so that there would be no shock to the Moroccan communities where air defense is situated. I immediately accepted both of these conditions on behalf of US Government.

Savary then said that there were two other items which were not conditions but which he would like to mention at same time. The first was that our request had stipulated that this was a provisional and temporary request that would satisfy our needs for the next 18 months. He requested that our experts talk with their opposite numbers at the Quai d’Orsay to arrive at somewhat more precise agreement on this point which would, of course, always be subject to review in the event of substantial change in the situation. I readily accepted this suggestion and Embassy will talk to Quai d’Orsay promptly to find out what they have in mind.

Second item which Savary wished to mention was the air defense of Morocco. He said that French military were very anxious to proceed steadily with increased French participation in the air defense of Morocco and he would like to have further discussions by the technical qualified experts on both sides. I told him that, of [Page 525] course, we had no objection to having such conversations but that our military felt strongly that until such time as the French were prepared to accept entire responsibility for the air defense of Morocco including all the fighter aircraft necessary for such defense US military felt that there must continue to be an important participation of American personnel in all phases of air defense of Morocco. I said that this was a technical matter which I was not competent to discuss but as a general principle our military were opposed to relinquishing any one facet of air defense as long as the primary responsibility for defense rested on American fighter aircraft. Savary said he well understood, and that he was not technically competent either but he merely wanted to mention that this was a subject in which French military were interested and would like to explore further. I said we would be glad to do so on a no-commitment basis. I further told Savary that I had heard from our military in Morocco that the initial phasing of French personnel into aircraft warning service in Morocco was proceeding very satisfactorily to all concerned.

In more or less of an aside, Savary, after glancing at his talking paper, said French were also interested in having the overall air defense command placed under the orders of the French Air Commander in Morocco. I made no comment whatsoever regarding this.

I then asked Savary if we were free to commence sending additional personnel to Morocco immediately under the new ceiling and he said “yes”, that such action could start immediately and without waiting for any of the further discussion which he had suggested.

I want to emphasize that this increase in ceiling applies only to air force personnel in Morocco and does not apply to the naval ceiling at Port Lyautey which remains unchanged. I also urge that care be taken to comply with French request and my commitment that no publicity be given to this change in ceiling.

Dillon
  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 711.56371A/4–1256. Secret. Repeated to Tangier, Rabat, and Wiesbaden, Paris for CINCEUR, to Wiesbaden for CINCU-SAFE; and to Rabat for the Seventeenth Air Force. Sent to the Department to be passed to the Department of Defense and to COMNAVACTS at Port Lyautey.