195. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in France1
118. Pending Secretary’s clearance and pouching of record of Pineau talks here last month2 following excerpt re Morocco is for your background in current consideration base problem:
“Pineau opened discussion on North Africa at Secretary’s invitation. Referring to Tunisia and Morocco he said that there had been some difficulties in last few weeks in matter of diplomatic representation. Situation was a delicate juridical one pending ratification of Conventions between France and these two countries. However problem had been solved with regard to exchange of ambassadors. Outlook for future negotiations was not unfavorable but there will be delicate points to be settled in bilateral relations with these countries. Pineau said he would keep us informed and he asked us not to allow Morocco and Tunisia to play us off against France. He said these two countries have budgetary deficits and will be turning to everyone to ask for aid. This meant that it was most important to coordinate our approaches.
Pineau turned to subject of US bases in Morocco. He said these could not be treated as part of Convention which had been signed with Morocco because this would have broadened its character too much. Convention had to be limited to subject of diplomatic representation in order that it should not be necessary to have it ratified by French Parliament. Problem of bases concerns both foreign affairs and defense, which have not yet been the subject of negotiation. Only aspect of defense which had been settled was that of Moroccan Army.
Pineau said that question of bases could not be settled without US participation and that talks would have to be tripartite.
He said that exchange of letters between French and Moroccan Governments, which had accompanied Convention, had no bearing on problem of bases which should be settled in a separate Convention. He said that French Government was ready to proceed with further discussions with us on this subject at our convenience.
[Page 536]Secretary said that US Government considers our agreement with French Government on bases in Morocco to be valid for duration of North Atlantic Treaty, and that responsibility should be assumed by Moroccan Government. He said that practically speaking it was essential to obtain agreement of Moroccan Government, which could not be ignored whatever the legal situation might be. He said that US is not disposed itself to invite any negotiation because our position is that our base agreement with French Government is still valid. We would prefer talks to be tripartite. However if Moroccans preferred to talk on a bilateral basis, we would reserve our position and inform French Government in order to consult on situation which might result.
Pineau said that this was a delicate point. If talks were bilateral it would be difficult to reconcile this with Secretary’s argument that commitment made with France was for duration of North Atlantic Treaty. There was also practical aspect of the danger of Moroccans being ‘rapacious’ and asking more and more in return for bases, especially if talks were conducted outside of present agreement.
Secretary said he did not mean to imply that US was prepared to start bilateral talks but only that we do not wish to exclude at this time possibility of having bilateral talks. As he had told Pineau already, we would keep French Government informed.
Pineau said he wished to emphasize that Franco-US Base Agreement conferred not only certain rights but also certain obligations, which Moroccan Government is incapable of carrying out.
Secretary said he assumed French would inform us in same way that we would inform it, of any approach or discussion with Moroccans, and Mr. Pineau agreed.”
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 711.56371/7–1056. Secret; Limit Distribution. Also sent to Rabat. Although an ambassador had not yet been appointed, U.S. representation in Morocco was raised to the level of an embassy on June 11.↩
- Dulles and the French Minister of Foreign Affairs, Christian Pineau, and their aides discussed the Moroccan situation on June 18. (Memorandum of conversation by Tyler, June 21; Ibid., Secretary’s Memoranda of Conversation: Lot 64 D 199)↩