765.84/3213: Telegram
The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Bingham) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 21—12:35 p.m.]
639. Foreign Office note received this morning states that on representations of Yugoslav Government with respect to grave loss of external trade as result of imposition of sanctions against Italy, British Government propose to grant to Yugoslavia, as an exceptional measure limited to duration of sanctions, certain special and exclusive advantages in the United Kingdom affecting imports of Yugoslav eggs, turkeys, chickens and bacon, the arrangements to come into force on Tuesday, December 24, and to be regarded as strictly confidential until that date.
Foreign. Office represent that decision to take these exceptional measures is natural development of that policy pursued by the British Government with a view to bringing the Italo-Ethiopian dispute to an end. The British Government therefore trust that the United States Government will agree to waive any right they may possess under most favored nation clauses in existing treaties to benefit by the concessions now made to Yugoslavia. They further state that the concessions should not be regarded as marking any departure from the well-known principles which govern the British Government’s commercial policy. Full text of note and Order in Council will be sent by pouch.
Agricultural Attaché states that American interests are not affected with the exception of bacon to a negligible extent, and that his department is informed by letter December 11th to Wheeler, Foreign Agricultural Division, Bureau of Agricultural Economics.