851.01/2080: Telegram
The Consul General at Algiers (Wiley) to the Secretary of State
[Received April 30—5:30 p.m.]
742. From Murphy. General Giraud sent for Macmillan and me last night and gave us three documents:
- 1.
- A declaration addressed to the British and American Governments.
- 2.
- A copy of his letter to General de Gaulle proposing a meeting.
- 3.
- A lengthy memorandum in response to the National Committee’s note of April 15.13
After explaining the contents of the documents addressed to General de Gaulle, Giraud told us we could see that a point had been reached where union should easily obtain but that a meeting was essential to settle the outstanding points. Giraud explained that in his proposals to de Gaulle he had distinguished between those relating to the period prior to the liberation of France and those concerning the constitution of a provisional government of France after liberation.
With regard to the first of these, Giraud said he had taken into account insofar as possible the views of the National Committee and was confident that any remaining differences could be settled at his meeting with de Gaulle.
As regards the period after the liberation, Giraud asked us to communicate the following declaration to our Governments:
“As regards this period I consider myself bound by the provisions of French law which are explained in my aide-mémoire of the 1st of April and my letter of the 27th April to General de Gaulle. These provisions give to Frenchmen guarantees for the preservation of their liberties and for the rapid constitution of a provisional government, [Page 103] which it is our strictest duty to maintain and respect. I consider that it is essential that the Council, as soon as it is established, should address a proclamation to the French people on this subject. I have no doubt that there is complete agreement between General de Gaulle and myself on this point. However, in order to avoid any misunderstanding, I was anxious to define to you, as I did to General Catroux yesterday, my position on this point.”
The text in translation of his letter to de Gaulle14 and a summary of the memorandum15 follow in separate telegrams. The letter is phrased in such terms that Giraud hopes will permit the meeting to be held with a reasonable chance of success and still maintain his principles regarding the future government of France. He said he hoped that when publicity should be given to the proposed meeting the communiqués which he and de Gaulle would issue should be limited to an announcement of the meeting and not at this stage enter into the details of his latest memorandum.
Repeated to London, sent to the Department. [Murphy.]