CAB80-32 — Page 187

Page 187

Page 187

155

;

(b) By the Instrument of Surrender the administration

of the whole of the Colony must be handed over to the British. No undertaking can be given by the British not to hand it over eventually to the Free French. There will however be no need to associate the Free French with the Treaty negotiations, and it may be possible to prevent any Free French troops or personnel entering French Somaliland until the Treaty has been signed and the Vichy forces withdrawn.

(c)

(a)

(e)

(f)

Renewed assurances should be given of the absence of any British intention to annex the Colony and, if desired, an appropriate clause might be added to the Instrument of Surrender. It should however be recalled that the present boundaries of French Somaliland traverse tribal areas, and some adjustment would be desirable if frontiers affecting the Somali peoples are rectified in the peace settlement.

We should permit the repatriation, preferably in Vichy ships, of any French nationals who might opt for it. This might involve Senegalese troops being returned to North or West Africa. No undertaking however must be given to repatriate Vichy troops even temporarily to Madagascar.

If possible, the release of prisoners taken by us as a result of operations against Jibuti prior to surrender should not be granted except in exchange for British prisoners taken or held in North and West Africa. Failure to agree on this point should not, however, prejudice a settlement.

The Vichy forces should be allowed to march out with

their personal arms i.e. rifles and side-arms only, no ammunition should be allowed, but otherwise they should receive the full honours of war. French civilians opting for repatriation might be treated with generosity in regard to any pecuniary loss involved, as in the case of Syria. On the other hand no destruction by Vichy authorities should be permitted of armament and war stores.

Should some further financial inducement be required

to turn the scales in favour of the acceptance of our terms, the Treasury might be invited to consider whether His Majesty's Government might not offer to replace the Vichy Government as guarantor of the dividends of the French Company Owning the Jibuti railway, as from the date on which Hic jesty's Government takes over the

Administration.

Ch

3

Page 187

Page 187

Page 187