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ANNEX A.

WAR CABIN IT DISTRIBUTIN.

FROM: EGYPT.

FROI CATRO 40 PORZIGN OFFICE.

Sir M. Lampson

No. 121 SAVING

8th November, 1941.

D.

•R•

10.10 a.il.

8th November, 1941. 20th November, 1941.

156

MOST SECRET

Following from Minister of State.

Lt. Colonel Hutton, C.S.0.1. A.C. arrived here on Wednesday bringing with his General Officer Commanding's proposals for reply to paragraph 2 of your No. 96 Prior.

1.

2.

Vic now taken by H. A. Command is that reduction of. Colony by blockade may be a long process. Extent of food reservos is an incalculable factor but it is now thought Governor may be able to hold out for many months. Their reasons aro that it is impossible to provont some infiltration of supplies and from time to time submarines enter Jibuti. In those circumstances and in. view of our need of port and railway Dast African Command would welcome opening negotiations. Accordingly and for the reasons given in my 20960 and previous telograms I consider that nogotiations should be opened without further delay. In recommending this I have not forgotten the possible repercussions on North West Africa. This aspect can only be judged correctly in London but if the atmosphere in France is changing I should doubt whether Vichy would admit Germans to any North Africen port unless the Germans wore in a position to take the port by force. Admittedly, in such

circumstances Vichy might pload Jibuti Agreement as an excuse for a non-resistance but this seems to me to be a risk which we are entitled to take.

3.

The General Officer Commanding is strongly of opinion that negotiations should not begin with an exchange of views but that we should present our terms. He thinks that Governor will be most difficult but will in the long run consent to any reasonable terms as long-suffering inhabitant would not, once their hopes of a settlement has been raised, tolerate a breakdowm. I agree.

1:..

If we are prepared to agree that Fronch, Somaliland should remain under the sovereignty of Vichy France but subject to British control for the duration of the war, I am of opinion that the following conditions should be imposed:-

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