CAB80-13 — Page 95

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CONCLUSIONS.

28. It is clear that the problem with which we shall be faced in dealing with the French Colonial Empire is a difficult one. Much will depend upon the attitude which the local administrations adopt. Broadly, our conclusions are as follows:-

29.

(a) There can be no question of taking over the

French possessions ourselves. Our policy should aim at controlling colonial produce at source and denying the use of French colonial bases to our enemies;

(b) We shall be unable to achieve this aim in respect

of French North Africa and French Somaliland, and we shall be faced with a difficult and dangerous problem in Syria unless the French authorities co-operate with us;

(c) Elsewhere, it should be possible, if the United

States of America co-operate, to achieve our object without the necessity of occupying any French territory.

(d) No action should be taken to disturb the status

quo in the Far East and the Pacific and we should enlist the assistance of the United States of America to preserve it.

These conclusions point clearly to the vital necessity of maintaining a French Government in being.

RECOMMENDATIONS.

30.

We recommend that:...

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(a) We should, at the appropriate moment, endeavour to induce the French Government to despatch a secret message to their local authorities overseas urging them in advance to continue to co-operate with British forces, regardless of any possible terms to which the Government might be compelled to agree under duress.

(b) The Foreign Office have already informed the

principal British Consular representatives in French territories of our policy and plans in respect of a possible French collapse. With this as a background, and in addition to any communication made by the French Government in accordance with (a) above, we should ourselves immediately the French Government make terms with the enemy, address a message to the local administrations in all French Colonial and mandated territories, through our own local representatives (if possible in association with the Dutch, Belgian, Norwegian, Polish and United States Governments) in the following sense:-

-77.

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