PROSPECTS DIM FOR NEW PROGRAM OF RESIDENT GENERAL LACOSTE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80R01443R000200320003-3
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 7, 1998
• Sequence Number: 3
• Publication Date: June 15, 1954
• Content Type: BRIEF

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NSC BRIEFING - tO
Prospects Dim for New Program of Resident General Lacoste
1. The New Resident General:
A. Arrival French Morocco 14 June newly appointed Resident
General Francis Lacoste opens new but difficult chapter
French-Moroccan relations.
B. Inherits bitter legacy of hate and distrust left by two
military predecessors.
C. His replacement General Guillaume 20 May is attempt by
Paris re-establish order and French-Moroccan co-operation
after 9 months' anti-French terrorism.
D. Lacoste able career diplomat; long, wide experience,
including Morocco. Served as number two man French
Residency 1947-1950 under Marshal Juin.
E. Lacoste staunch advocate French presence Morocco, but'
believed personally to favor more moderate-,policy.
Intelligence reports indicate he intends policy "iron
hand in silken glove."
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II Lacoste's Program:
A. Lacoste program not yet fully delineated, but high French
Foreign Ministry official outlines following:
1. General lines long-term program to be announced
near future, but without specifying time factor or
final Moroccan-French relationship.
2. Bmphasis on Moroccan sovereignty and fact that
reforms last August only one step final goal.
3. French participation local government will decrease
as Moroccans show capacity greater responsibility.
4. No spectacular developments regarding change sultan
anticipated near future. Much-mentioned possibility
replacement present sultan, Moulay Arafa, with
second son ex-sultan, though would please some,
would also create new problems.
B. Lacoste recently conferred some elements Moroccan national-
ists he invited Paris. Also reportedly drafted proposal granting
c,le enc trio l-d
ist political etainees.
III Prospects:
A. Lacoste program as outlined does not indicate new, bold
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policy and unlikely to promote real settlement.
1. Too vague--no specific concessions yet indicated
2. Does not intend specify final Moroccan-French
relationship or time factor--both primary national-
ist objectives.
3. Issue French participation;Moroccan government--
immediate cause ouster former sultan--will continue
as major stumbling bloc to both nationalists and
French settlers.
B. Local reaction Lacoste program provokes bitter opposition
both sides:
1. French veterans organization Casablanca distributed
50,000 leaflets condemning Lacoste's alleged instructions
to release and negotiate nationalists as ?criminal
and treasonable."
2. On 12 June offices of veterans organization wrecked
by bombs.
3. El Glaoui, staunchly anti-nationalist pasha Marrakech
++'+n m
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- principal native engineer sultan's deposition
states that friends of France in Morocco will give
Lacoste confidence if he does not bargain on
clemency.
4. Report received 15 June indicate nationalists are
implementing threat of crop burning, - burned 115
acres grain this past week.
C. American observers Morocco. convinced drastic measures
required if situation to be restored; agree minimum
necessary -
1. Replacement sultan by someone acceptable Moroccan
people.
2. Release nationalist political prisoners, as no
others command respect Moroccan .messes.
3. Direct contact with established nationalist leaders.
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