Foreign Relations of the United States Diplomatic Papers, 1937, The British Commonwealth, Europe, Near East and Africa, Volume II

611.60F31/199: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Minister in Czechoslovakia ( Wright )

Washington , April 29, 1937—2 p.m.

13. My 12, April 20, 5 p.m.¹³ Your 19, April 8, 11 a.m., 22, April 14, 5 p.m., and despatch No. 675, April 8.¹⁴

On the basis of your telegram 22 and the Czechoslovak Aide-mémoire of April 7¹³ enclosed with your despatch 675, we have informed the Czechoslovak Legation here that we are disposed to proceed with the preliminary announcement that the negotiation of a trade agreement with Czechoslovakia is contemplated, and that we wish to make this announcement during the first week of May. When the Legation informs us that this is agreeable to the Czechoslovak Government the exact date can be determined¹⁵ and the Legation here and you will be informed. We have requested that until the date of the announcement, the Czechoslovak Government refrain from giving any publicity to the impending negotiations.

We explained to the Legation that the purpose of the preliminary announcement is to afford American interests an opportunity to present any views which they may have as to the products to be covered so that when formal announcement is made, a list of the items on which the United States will consider granting concessions can be published in connection therewith. We have expressed to the Legation the hope that the Czechoslovak Government would immediately begin the formulation of a list of the products on which it would request concessions from the United States, and explained in this connection that the Czechoslovak Government need not at this stage decide upon the exact nature of the concessions to be requested, but only upon the list of products which it will probably want to have considered in the course of the negotiations.

Hull

13. Not printed.
14. Despatch No. 675 not printed.
13. Not printed.
15. Having been informed by telegram No. 23, April 30, 1937, from the Minister in Czechoslovakia that the date was agreeable to the Czechoslovak Government, the Department issued a preliminary announcement on May 7, 1937; see Department of State, Press Releases, May 8, 1937, p. 317.