PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT'S PROMISES REGARDING NORTH AFRICAN INDEPENDENCE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80B01676R004100140001-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 12, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 21, 2002
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: July 20, 1955
• Content Type: MF

.Approved For Release 2002/09/04 : FI .l 180B01676R004100140001-3
20 July 1955
MEMORANDUM FOR: Mr. Dulles
President Roosevelt's Promises Regarding
North African Independence
1. A search of CIA and State Department files made at your
request reveals no firm evidence that President Roosevelt made
any promises to help the French dependencies in North Africa
gain their independence. Most of the legend on this subject centers
about: (a) An after-dinner conversation between the President
and Sultan Sidi Mohammed on 22 January 1943, and (b) A -letter
written by the President to the Sultan on 4 February 1943 (copy
attached). Mr. Robert Murphy of the State Department who
attended the dinner, but did not overhear the conversation, is
inclined to believe that the President made no firm promises to
the Sultan. No one else beside the President and the Sultan is
known to have participated in this conversation.
2. The letter from the President to the Sultan is a very
friendly one, inviting the latter to visit the Roosevelts in
Washington. The Sultan has never made the letter public. A
copy of the letter was made available to CIA by the State
Department, which had obtained it from the Hyde Park archives.
25X1
Attachments: 2
State Dept. review completed
Approved For Release 2002/O f 4R A-RDP80BO1676R004100140001-3
 JNCLA3SIFIED CONFIDENTIAL SECRET
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CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
OFFICIAL ROUTING SLIP
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APPROVAL INFORMATION SIGNATURE
ACTION [_] DIRECT REPLY I RETURN
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Remarks: The Director noted this and said
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JSE
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