611.41D31/58: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Minister in Ireland (Cudahy)
8. Your 7, March 25, 9 a.m.11 The Department had not contemplated timing negotiations with Ireland to be completed at any particular time, as it had not considered that they would have bearing upon negotiations with any other country. Unless considerable unexpected delay develops in the United Kingdom negotiations, it would not be possible to complete our procedure for Ireland in time to have signature antedate signature of the United Kingdom agreement. Our procedure, as you know, normally requires approximately 4 months from date of preliminary public announcement to completion of hearings, before which actual negotiations cannot begin. Mail instruction follows.11
It is not entirely clear whether the Irish Government has definitely indicated that it is prepared to enter upon negotiations on the basis set forth in my telegram No. 2.12 We are ready to join with Ireland in the issuance of the usual preliminary press statement of contemplated negotiations at an early date, if the Irish Government accepts the suggested basis of negotiations.