573 A 1/a: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Chargé in Great Britain (Wright)
135. Delegates of Great Britain, Italy and United States to Preliminary Communications Conference reached an agreement on December 10, 1920, providing for reciprocal facilities for the landing of cables for relay purposes.69 The agreement was concluded ad referendum to the respective governments for approval and subject to ratification in accordance with their constitutional forms. Agreement was attached as an annex to report of Sub-Committee on International Cable and Radio Law and on Cable Landing Eights.
Please communicate with Foreign Office, calling attention to facts set forth above, and stating that this Government considers it desirable [Page 539] that the three signatory countries should reach an understanding regarding the best method of giving effect to the agreement, and to bring about the adherence thereto of other nations, and that it is suggested that plenipotentiaries might be designated by each nation to sign the agreement again with slight modifications not affecting its substance, such modifications to consist merely of a preamble, which would take the place of the first paragraph, and of the addition of conventional provisions with regard to adherence by non-signatory powers, ratification, and termination. Inquire if such procedure would be agreeable to British Government. Repeat mutatis mutandis as Department’s No. 35 to Rome.