893.51/3040
The Secretary of State to the American Group
Gentlemen: The Department has your letter of November 5th,29 in which you state that you desire the early views of the Department on the question of the publication of the Consortium Agreement of October 15th, in order to allay suspicion which apparently has been engendered in China on the ground that the Agreement is a secret understanding. You state further that in the meantime, in order to meet the situation temporarily, you have prepared a brief summary of the Agreement, copy of which you enclosed for the Department’s information and comment,29 which has met the approval of the other Governments and which you propose shortly to give to the Press.
With reference to the proposal of publishing the Consortium Agreement, the Department for its part sees no objection to such a procedure, provided it meets with the approval of the other Governments interested and to that end suggests that the Groups severally [Page 594] obtain from their respective Governments the necessary approval.
With regard to the proposed publication of the summary enclosed with your letter under acknowledgment, the Department perceives no objection to your giving this to the Press as you propose.
I am [etc.]
Second Assistant Secretary